Final Fantasy X: All Bets Are Off
by Selphie800
Summary: The Zanarkand Abes are a betting bunch, but what happens when they place their bets on the most precious prize of all: the virginity of the most popular girl at school. It's not as easy as it seems, and they find all sorts of trouble along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. It belongs to Square. I do own this piece of fiction, though, so please do not copy it without permission. Rated M for later chapters and strong language. In this story, the Besaid Aurochs play for the Abes. Why not? We don't really know any of Tidus' teammates, anyway. (The Abes consist of Tidus, Jassu, Wakka, Datto, Baralai, Letty, Keepa, and Botta) Yes, Baralai from X-2. Possibly appearances from other X-2 characters as well. Some people's eye colors are unknown, so I made them up. No Al Bhed language. Sorry. I'm too lazy to try to decipher it, and it distracts a little from the story. **

Ch. 1: Introductions

_One week before schools begins._

Yuna stretched as she positioned herself more comfortably on her stool. It was early, a little after seven, but she wanted to capture the sunrise perfectly. She held her paintbrush between her thumb and index finger and frowned. _I just can't get this damn color right, _she thought absently_. _She took another glance at the sky. She'd been working on this particular watercolor for a very long time. She feared she'd never get it finished. She heard a thump in the hallway and knew that her father, Braska, had risen as well. She put her brush down and regretfully left her painting once more. She walked across the polished hardwood floor to her white bedroom door. She grabbed the handle and pulled it open, taking a quick glance out to see if Braska was slumped on the floor as she suspected. He was, still dressed in his blue and white striped pajamas, the pants at least two inches too short. It had been a birthday gift from Yuna, and she'd guessed his size. She told him he could exchange it for a set that fit properly, but he told her he would do no such thing.

"Father," she called, gently shaking his shoulder. Of course, she knew she was wasting her time. Braska never just "came around" after one of his nights out. She stood up and padded along the cold floor to the kitchen. She walked over to the coffee maker and turned it on. She sighed. She wished her father would finally come to terms with what she already knew: he was an alcoholic. She leaned on the tiled blue counter and rubbed her temples. She certainly wasn't upset with the fact that he drank, even she had a few every once in a while. But, she hadn't let it completely take over her life as he had. She took a glimpse of her reflection in the oval mirror that sat above the microwave. She wasn't surprised that she was pale, several bags under her multi-colored eyes that concealer would have to hide, her small pink lips dry. She smirked. If the guys in school saw her now, they certainly wouldn't be impressed. She stood five feet three inches tall, with a slender frame that suited her height perfectly. Her shiny dark brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail this morning, the way she'd put it the before bed last night. She was still dressed in her sleeping clothes: a white shirt with spaghetti straps, and baggy purple pajama bottoms. She smirked again. The guys at school thought she wore lingerie to bed. They would.

The silver coffee machine buzzed, alerting Yuna that it was ready. She grabbed her father's favorite mug, and filled it, spilling a little on the counter. She carried the mug carefully away from the counter, using her back and butt to open the swinging kitchen door, and back down the hall where Braska still lay slumped. She hadn't reached him yet, but his head lifted, and his eyes opened. She smiled. For whatever reason, the coffee always entered his nostrils and told him it was time to get up.

"Here you go, Father," she said, swatting to hand him the mug. Braska managed a tiny smile on his handsome, stubble clad face. His dark blue eyes looked up at his daughter. He didn't know how he'd make it without her. His wife had been killed a year ago, and it had left him a shell of his former self, but Yuna had been his strength, his motivation for going on. She would graduate this year, making him even more proud of her. She was the most innocent, sweetest girl he could think of. Too bad he couldn't go a night without drinking. He needed it. It helped him get a good night's sleep, at least. He took a sip of the coffee, the flavor coming alive on his tongue. He spat it back in the mug.

"It's black, Yuna. Why?"

She grinned at him. "So it'll wake you up." He smiled ruefully, as she helped him get up slowly from his position on the floor.

* * *

Wakka's fist slammed down on his alarm clock for the third time. _Shit_. Why did he have to get up so early on a Saturday? _Because you play for the best damn blitzball team in Spira, ya!_ He rose out of bed with that thought impounded on his brain. He could hear his uncle, Auron, humming, as he cooked breakfast down in the kitchen. Wakka headed out of his room and down the hall to the shower. He liked Auron. He was old as hell, but he knew a lot of things about life. When Wakka's parents had been killed in a boating accident six years ago, Auron volunteered to let Wakka come to Zanarkand to live with him. Wakka missed Besaid Island, where he was born and had grown up. He sang one of his favorite songs as the shower's spray hit his body. He hoped practice wouldn't take all damn day today. He wanted to make sure he was home with enough time so he could take a nap. Tonight, he would frequent all of his favorite clubs, especially the ones that were particularly nice to the Abes.

He turned the shower off, and grabbed a green towel from the nearby bar. "Wakka, you better not dare use those green towels! Use the white ones in the cabinet," he heard a threat at the door. _Oops_. He put the towel back as he'd found it, and stepped out. Auron hated for anything to be out of place. Wakka grabbed a white towel and wrapped it securely around his waist. He couldn't help but flex his muscles in the mirror. He stood six feet two inches tall, the tip of his reddish-orange coif touching the ceiling.

"Come on. The eggs are getting cold. You can kiss your reflection, and make love to yourself later," Auron said, as he finally moved from the closed door. Wakka frowned. He certainly didn't **need **to make love to himself. His cell phone held over a hundred different girls' numbers he could choose from. He left the bathroom and walked down the thick carpeted hall back to his bedroom. He got dressed quickly, and headed downstairs for breakfast. The first time he laid eyes on Auron's home, he thought that a woman lived here. It was too neat and organized. Auron was already sitting at the table, taking a bite out of his sausage link. Wakka sat down and picked up his fork.

"Praise be to Yevon," he muttered, and began to eat. Auron paused in mid chew, and looked at him over the rim of his dark sunglasses. He was dressed in his favorite red velvet robe and slippers. His salt and pepper hair was still a little damp from his morning shower. At forty, he considered himself in great physical condition.

"What?" Wakka asked, slightly agitated. Auron always stared at him when he said that. Of course, no answer, just the continual slow chewing.

Five minutes later, Wakka put his plate in the sink.

"I want you at the restaurant when you get done with practice," Auron said.

"What? Why? I thought we agreed on every other Saturday, ya?"

"That's the deal when school starts," Auron corrected.

"Okay. How long?"

"About five hours. Be there by two."

"Ya," said Wakka miserably. _There goes my nap. How am I supposed to be the life of the party with no sleep, ya? _

"Hey, Wakka, what'cha doin' tonight?" Datto asked, as he pulled his clean short sleeved blue shirt over his head. Wakka grinned.

"I'll be at the clubs, ya. What 'bout you?"

Datto shook his head. "Nope. I got a date, man," he said, removing his dark blue headband from his closely cropped hair.

Wakka looked intrigued. "With who?"

Letty, Botta, Keepa, Jassu, and Tidus, gathered around the bench. A few other Abes paused to listen in as well.

"I'm going out with Phoenix," he said easily. Wakka didn't believe him. Phoenix was no ordinary girl. She was very picky about whom she dated, and well, Datto wouldn't make the cut. Wakka had only gone out with her once himself. She was a pretty girl, with her bright orange hair and dark eyes. They all agreed she had a great body. Her personality was a little snobby, but those were minor details.

"Stop bullshitting, Datto. Phoenix wouldn't date you," Letty said, laughing. Letty, like most of the Abes, was in excellent physical form, though he was almost as muscular as Wakka.

"Why the hell not, man? I'm not lying," Datto said, his blue eyes looking at each of his teammates trying to find a face that would believe him. He failed.

"You **are** lying," Wakka said, putting on his socks.

"Look. She gave me her number," he insisted, pulling out his cell phone. He was greeted with more than half a dozen groans.

"She gives everybody her number," Jassu said pointedly. He ran a hand over his short white blond hair, and snickered.

"She's not that kind of girl!" Datto defended. The locker room got quiet.

"He's right. She's not that kind of girl, ya," Wakka agreed.

"What kind of girl is she then, Wakka?" Keepa asked, struggling to pull his jeans up over his wide hips. The Abes repeatedly warned Keepa he could be replaced if he didn't lose weight soon, but after five years, he was no longer concerned with the threats.

"Not that kind. Then, why the hell are you going out with her, anyway, ya?" Wakka asked, turning back to Datto.

"Cause she's not that kind of girl. I'm looking for a girlfriend," he admitted. More groans.

"You're looking for a death trap, ya. There isn't a virgin in that high school," said Wakka, pulling on his dark green work shirt. He personally hated the uniform, but Auron insisted he wear it. It had a yellow collar, with three buttons down the front, with the words The Tornado spelled out in red letters on the back. He had on a pair of black pants.

"What? There are so virgins in that school. What about Lulu?" asked Botta. He and Keepa hi-fived on this theory. He pulled his dark salmon colored hair back into its customary short ponytail.

Wakka thought about Lulu for a moment. It was very likely that she was still a virgin.

"What about Yuna?" asked Tidus, tying his black sneakers. There were a few snorts of disbelief. He remembered Wakka pointing the girl out to him.

Wakka laughed long and hard, and then he became serious. "He's probably right. Just those two, though."

"Yuna, though?" Jassu asked, his black eyes laughing at Tidus, who had just slipped his green shirt over his head. He and Wakka worked at Auron's restaurant a few hours on Saturdays.

"Hey, Wakka, hurry up. We're going to be late," Tidus complained, grabbing his gym bag.

"I'll be right out. Give me five minutes, ya?" said Wakka. He watched Tidus stroll pass the lockers and sinks, and out the door.

"Hey, don't mention Yuna around him, ya? I haven't known him long enough yet to feel him out. Besides, he might like her or something," said Wakka.

"He's not the only one," Keepa sighed dreamily.

"You don't really think she's still a virgin, though, do you, Wakka?" Baralai asked, as he climbed on the bench next to Wakka. There was a glimmer of interest in his chocolate brown eyes.

"Hell yeah, I do. She's the biggest tease in the school. I don't know one guy that's been with her, do you?" Wakka asked.

Baralai thought for a moment. He didn't. He didn't know one that had actual confirmation. He ran a hand through his silver hair.

"Nope. I don't know anybody. So…what are we going to do about the virgin tease?" he asked, with a wicked grin.

"We make a bet to find out who can get her virginity, that's what," said Botta. Wakka's eyes widened. He loved to gamble. But, he wasn't really sure he could win. Yuna wasn't really his type and his money was on Baralai.

"I'm in," said Keepa, barely containing the drool that slipped from his mouth.

"How much will I get when I win?" smiled Baralai.

"What makes you so damn sure you're going to win? I'm in this, too," Jassu said.

Datto hesitated. He might go along just to be a part of the gang, but he knew for damn sure he had better chances with Phoenix.

"Datto? Letty?" Baralai asked.

Letty gave them a confident smile. "Count me in. Yuna will be moaning my name faster than you can flunk your first history exam, Baralai."

"Okay, me, too," Datto said, giving them a shaky smile.

"How much?" Keepa asked.

"100 gil each? Or is that too much for you gentlemen?"Baralai asked. They all agreed.

"That's five. Five fools. I'm in on Baralai," Wakka muttered.

"Wait. I know this guy that play for the Al Bhed Psyches that might want in. Blappa loves to gamble," Baralai said.

"Hell no. Yuna's cousin, Rikku, is dating Gippal. That's too close for comfort. It'll get to Yuna, ya," Wakka warned. "One more thing. Since I'm not in it, I'll be keeping the tabs…and don't tell Tidus." Wakka was more than certain that Tidus would never get Yuna, but he didn't want him to know about this.

"When's the deadline? I want to make sure I'm ready to perform," Keepa stretched.

"No rush, guys. You have until the prom. Happy hunting," Baralai said, handing Wakka his 100 gil for safekeeping. Wakka collected the other guys' money, and stuffed it in his pocket. He told the guys goodbye, and then he jogged to the parking lot where he knew Tidus was waiting.

Tidus impatiently rapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Where the hell was Wakka? He knew Wakka didn't give a damn about being late for work, because his uncle owned the place, but Tidus liked being punctual. Finally, he saw Wakka coming out of the building. He threw his gym bag in the backseat and then he plopped into the passenger's seat.

"What the hell took you so long?" Tidus greeted, as he started the ignition and backed out of his parking space.

Wakka shrugged. "Just giving Datto some last minute advice about his date. Speaking of dates, it's time you went out on a few, brudda. You've been here all summer, and you haven't had one date. Lucky for you, I didn't tell the guys."

Tidus had moved to Zanarkand the previous summer. He and his father, Jecht, along with his stepmother, Zalora, had lived in Luca. He hadn't really wanted to move, but Jecht had been offered a better job here. He missed his old friends, and wasn't sure he could trust his new ones.

"I know this girl who's perfect for you. Puts out on the first date, too, ya," Wakka added, lighting a cigarette.

Tidus kept his eye on the busy Zanarkand downtown traffic. _If she puts out on the first date, she doesn't expect you to ask for a second, _he thought. He liked Wakka, he just didn't agree with his player's status. Well, he might have agreed with it a year ago. He'd lived a life pretty much like that. Drinking, smoking, girls. He was determined not to live that kind of life here. Besides, he already had a girlfriend back in Luca, and they had mutually agreed to give their long distance relationship a try.

"Want one?" Wakka asked, offering him the pack, even though he had told him several times that he didn't smoke anymore. He grabbed the pack, glanced at it, and then tossed it out the window.

"Hey, that cost 10 gil a pack, ya!" Wakka complained.

"Hardly worth the habit if you can't afford it then."

Tidus pulled in behind The Tornado, and parked. He climbed out after Wakka and they made their way to the alley doorway and entered the kitchen.

"You're late," Auron greeted, from the small office off the kitchen.

"Traffic, ya," said Wakka.

"No. You were sitting there wasting time talking to your teammates. We're busy. Get to work." Tidus and Wakka got cleaned up and Wakka headed into the kitchen to serve as assistant cook to the chef. Tidus headed over to the servers station. Today, he was working for a fellow waiter who couldn't make it.

"Hi, Tidus. I hear you're helping us out today," Shelinda greeted. She was the head waitress. Tidus nodded.

"Damn. His apron's going to be full fast. Look at our crowd," Dona said, grumbling. Tidus glanced around the restaurant. For whatever reason this afternoon, there were a lot of teenage girls here. He felt his neck redden at Dona's suggestion.

"Tidus, table 12," Shelinda said, interrupting his thoughts. He nodded, and stuck a pen between his teeth, grabbing a tablet and hurrying off. He walked up to the table of three teenage girls. They all gave him approving smiles. He smiled back.

"Hi. What can I get for you?" he asked.

"They'd kick me out if I really told him," one girl said to her friends. They laughed.

Rikku slurped the last of her strawberry blast soda and sighed with contentment. She'd just polished off a basket of fries with her cousin, Yuna, and was enjoying her afternoon. She turned in her booth, causing the red plastic to squeal as she looked for their waitress, Dona, for a refill. _Damn, _she swore, as she saw Dona carrying a heavy looking tray laden with food.

"So, Rikku, are you and Gippal going out tonight?" Yuna asked, stirring her own dark drink, reaching to add a few drops of vanilla flavoring. Rikku sighed, with the thought of Gippal on her mind. He was the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. They had been dating for three months now, which was a lifetime on her dating record.

"No. I thought maybe you and I could hang out," she told Yuna. Yuna shrugged, and sat her purse on the table. Rikku stared at it. She never carried a purse. That was like asking a thief to grab it and run off. She ran a finger through her honey blonde ponytail, and straightened her red halter top. She knew she looked sensational in her black miniskirt, and white knee length boots. Yuna was dressed similar, in a deep sky blue halter dress, with sand colored boots. The Zanarkand temperature was beginning its early threat of cold, and Auron didn't really like to turn off the restaurant's air conditioning.

"Okay. I don't have any other plans," Yuna said as her cell phone rang. She picked it up, speaking for a few moments. Rikku glanced around for Dona. She spotted her and waved frantically, but Dona didn't see her. Tidus caught her eye and gave her a smile. He said something to Dona, and Dona threw a smile in her direction.

"Thanks," Rikku called, as Yuna ended her call. She gave Dona her refill order and turned to Yuna. "Who was that?"

Yuna frowned. "It was Datto."

Rikku frowned as well. "Datto? What the hell did he want?"

"He wanted to go out tonight."

"With you?"

"Yeah. Crazy world."

"I'm going to tell Wakka to get that guy on some new drugs. Why would he think you would go out with him?"

"He's not that bad, Rikku, but seriously. Who next, Jassu?" she laughed, as her phone rang again. This made Yuna and Rikku laugh harder. "Jassu," Yuna said, a minute later into the phone. Rikku was trying her hardest to stifle her laughter. Dona brought her refill.

Yuna hung up. "Wow. That's two dates in…five minutes. Maybe I should have gone out with one of them."

"No way. I know Gippal is hanging out with his friends tonight. So, you have to hang out with me."

Yuna pouted. "I'm turning down dates, Rikku. How can I keep them wanting more, if I don't deliver?"

Yuna was fully aware that she was a tease, and she loved every minute of it. She liked getting the boys all hot and bothered, just to turn cold the next minute. Always promising, but never delivering. She wasn't really interested in any of them, just liked the thrill of the chase. She was determined not to end up like her father, heartbroken, and looking for love in all the wrong places. Namely, his current love affair with the bottle.

"Do you know that waiter?" Rikku asked. Yuna looked toward the waiter's station and felt her heart beat in triple time in her chest. Filling a glass with ice was the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen. She was trying to place him in their school building and failed. He had the softest looking blond hair she had ever seen, his eyes were the color of the ocean, his skin evenly tan. She felt a blush stain her cheeks as she pondered briefly if his tan was indeed all over. "No. I've never seen him before," she said, turning back to Rikku.

"Me, neither, but if I didn't have my Gippal, he'd be mine," Rikku stated. Just then, Lulu entered the restaurant. She spotted the two girls and came over to join them. She had her long black hair up in a very neat bun. She was wearing a white blouse, which strained to contain her ample bosom, and a pair of snug jeans.

"Hi, girls," she greeted them. "Hi," they both replied in unison. Yuna's phone began to ring again.

"Put it on speaker," Rikku begged.

Yuna obeyed. "Hi, this is Yuna," she greeted.

"Hi, Yuna. This is Baralai."

Yuna's eyes widened with interest. She knew Baralai, of course, the star player of the Abes. "Hi, Baralai. What's up?" she said, trying to sound casual.

"I was hoping you would give me the pleasure of your company tonight," he said. Rikku was nodding vigorously.

"Yes, that would be nice," replied Yuna.

"Okay. Would you like me to pick you up?"

"Yes," Yuna replied, giving him her address.

"I'll see you soon. I look forward to it," said Baralai. Yuna hung up and squealed.

"Was that Baralai Griffin?" Lulu frowned.

"Yes," Yuna said.

Lulu shook her head. "Why, Yuna? That guy's got a reputation."

"Well, so does she," Rikku defended. Yuna nodded. Lulu shook her head again. She'd warned Yuna many times about the way she played with boys. One time too many, and some jerk wasn't going to take no as an answer. Of course, Yuna never believed any of that. And she certainly wasn't going to take advice from Lulu, who was dating someone on the debate team. She was too picky. Dona suddenly reappeared, holding a refill of Yuna's drink.

"Thanks," Yuna said. Dona was her favorite waitress, but as her eyes kept watching the blond boy work, she knew she was going to have a new favorite soon. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. Yuna had never felt this way about a guy before. Boys usually fell for her.

"No problem," Dona said.

"Who's that guy? Is he new here?" Yuna asked, wanting to throw a flirtatious smile in Tidus' direction, but finding it difficult to manage. What the hell was wrong with her? She was a big flirt. Flirting came to her naturally.

"You should find out when his shift is over, so you can go out with him," said Rikku.

"I already have a date for tonight, Rikku," Yuna said.

Dona looked over in the girls' line of vision. She shrugged. "Oh, that's Tidus. He's a cutie, isn't he? He just moved here this summer."

"Perfect," Yuna muttered.

"Not so fast, Yuna. I think he's mentioned a girlfriend," Dona warned, though she approved of the young girl's determination to get whatever she wanted.

Yuna dismissed that last statement from Dona, as she mentally planned where she and Tidus would go on their first date.

"I know that look," Rikku squealed. "She's going to get him." Even Lulu had to smile. But, she pitied Tidus. It would be too bad when Yuna discarded him after she got him. Lulu waited patiently for Dona to bring her soda and chocobo sandwich. She loved The Tornado, especially the décor. The dark paneled walls, almost black, with all of the bright neon sights decorating the walls. Even the floor was made of black linoleum. The tables were covered with white tablecloths, with decorative tornados in the center encased in plastic, with red neon wiring.

* * *

Tidus awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. _What the hell was that noise?_ He thought. He listened again, and sure enough, the pounding was still going on. He could hear something pounding against the wall of his bedroom. So hard, it even rattled his picture of his Player of the Quarter certificate he'd gotten when he played for the Luca Goers. He'd only been with the Abes since the beginning of the summer, but he wasn't ready to show them any of his signature moves yet. He knew that Baralai was the star, so he didn't want to show him up. Yet. He groaned as his eyes looked at the illuminated clock next to his bed. _1:30am. _What the hell was Jecht doing at this hour? It didn't take him long to figure it out as he heard loud groans and moans coming from the other side of his wall. He sighed deeply, reaching for his IPod, and putting it on. As the music filled his ears, he drifted off again.

"Darling, are you still sleeping? You must have had a rough night last night," Zalora said, in her sugary sweet drawl. She looked down at her sleeping stepson and stroked his cheek. He was so sweet. But, not so innocent. She was certain she'd caught his eyes lingering on her shapely legs on more than one occasion. She swept a lock of long auburn hair behind her shoulder as she sat on the edge of the bed. Jecht was already off to work, even though it was Sunday. She pulled the covers off of Tidus, and admired his strong, tanned legs. He was sleeping on his stomach. She ran a manicured hand slowly up one of his legs. She paused and looked at Tidus. He wasn't snoring softly anymore. And most likely, he wouldn't appreciate her seeing him in his boxers. She knew he was just playing games. He enjoyed the attention.

"What are you doing?" she heard him ask, reaching to pull the covers over himself again.

Zalora gave him a friendly smile. "Oh, nothing, dear. I thought I saw a bug crawl under your covers."

Tidus noticed that she was still wearing her white silk nightgown and robe. He didn't know why his stepmother liked to play with him. He was hoping as he got older, that she would be more of a real mother to him. He'd lost his own when he was four to a mysterious disease, and then Jecht had married Zalora the year he turned nine.

"Zalora, I've told you a million times, stay out of my room," he warned, again.

"I know, darling. But, I'm practically your mother, I was just checking on you, that's all. Motherly concern," she swore, though her pale violet eyes told another story, as they lingered on Tidus' bare shoulders. "Is there anything you want to talk about? I'm here to listen," she insisted.

"No. Make that hell no," said Tidus, remembering the last "motherly" talk they'd had. It had been about him entering puberty.

"Fine. I'm having waffles for breakfast. Do you want some? A growing boy needs his strength."

"I don't care," Tidus muttered, watching her leave his room, closing the door softly. He bolted out of the bed and locked the door, which he could have sworn he'd done the previous night. He never told Jecht about any of this. He could tell his father was more than smitten with his younger wife. Jecht was forty, and Zalora was thirty three. Tidus walked into his bathroom and pondered what he would do with his day. He didn't have blitz practice, and he didn't have to work. Maybe he could go to Luca. Hell no. He should have planned that in advance, so he could have an airship ticket. And the drive was definitely out of the question. But, he missed Darcy, his girlfriend in Luca. They'd been dating for a little more than five months. But, Darcy was in Luca and he was in Zanarkand. He knew one thing for certain, and without question, he wasn't spending the day at home with Zalora.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2 Let the Games Begin

The first day at Zanarkand High was always crazy. The students were more than excited to be returning. And the teachers, for the most part, didn't mind as well. Yuna had been busy most of the morning, but she was hoping that she'd share at least one class with Tidus. No such luck for her first three classes. She did share two with Rikku, and that was good.

"Yuna, how are you today?" she heard as she rummaged through her locker. She turned and made eye contact with a smiling Letty. She gave him a friendly smile.

"I'm fine, Letty. Glad to be back?"

He shrugged. "More like can't wait to get out. I'm glad we're seniors now." She laughed with him. He ran a slightly nervous hand over his short light brown hair.

"So, um, what are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"Probably studying. Why? Do you have something more fun for me to do?"

He placed a hand on the locker nearest her. "I might. Want to go to a movie?"

"I don't know, Letty. It is a school night…"

"So? Sneak out."

Yuna adjusted the strap of her purple shirt, a movement that Letty's eyes didn't miss. She knew he wouldn't. Her flimsy knee length skirt had matching purple flowers on it. She had her hair up today, in her favorite ponytail.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," she teased.

Letty laughed, scratching his goatee. He knew, of course, that she wasn't going to give him a direct answer. _But she'd gone out with Baralai a week ago_, he seethed. Baralai hadn't given them any definite details, but he'd said with confidence that the money would be his soon. The lunch bell rang then, as Yuna closed her locker.

"I'll see you, Letty."

"Wait. What about tonight?"

"I just don't know. If I call you, then we're on," she said, sashaying down the hall, certain he was watching. He was.

"Come on, Letty. I'm starving," called Keepa. Letty nodded, and ran to catch up.

"So, what do you have next period?" Rikku asked, as she sat her tray down on the table, across from Yuna.

"Um…I have math with Mr. Kimarhi, and last, music with Mr. Isaaru. What about you?"

Rikku smiled. "Technology. But the good news is…we've got music together."

Yuna smiled back. Mr. Isaaru was known among the students, especially the females for his dedicated attention to them. She paused when she saw Tidus walk over to join some of the Abes in the far corner of the cafeteria. He was wearing a dark green hoodie and jeans. A thick silver chain was around his neck, tucked into the crisp white t-shirt he wore underneath.

"I've got to meet Tidus somehow," she thought aloud.

Rikku turned to her. "What? Tidus? That again," she groaned.

Yuna had been talking about nothing else lately. Rikku thought she should just stay with Baralai, no matter how gorgeous Tidus was.

"Yes, that again. I'm going to get him, Rikku."

"Well, duh. Of course, you are."

Yuna noticed Lulu sitting with Seymour off to the far side, but they weren't eating. It looked as though they were reading something together. Yuna wasn't sure how she felt about Seymour. She thought he was a snob personally. Suddenly, she felt his piercing lavender blue eyes on her. She looked away quickly. He leaned over and said something to Lulu, which made her turn and look in Yuna's direction. Yuna waved. Lulu smiled and waved back.

"Where are you going?" Rikku asked, sending a text to Gippal on her phone.

"I'll be right back," Yuna said, straightening her shirt and walking off.

* * *

"So, let's get together this weekend and go check out the Omega Room," Botta said, as he put mustard on his chimera sandwich.

Wakka's hazel brown eyes stretched wide. "Hey, you gotta be 18 to get in there, ya," he said.

"So? Gatta can score us some fake Ids," Botta assured them. Wakka wasn't so sure. Gatta's connections were shady at best.

"What's the Omega Room?" Tidus asked, trying to figure out how to attack his big piece of fried chocobo breast.

"Are you serious? The best strip club in downtown Zanarkand, that's what," Jassu said. Tidus raised an interested eyebrow.

"Yeah, I thought that would get your attention," Letty said, with a mouth full of burger.

"It's Datto's eighteenth birthday Saturday," Keepa explained.

"Oh. It's time he finally saw what it looked like, ya?" Wakka smiled.

Datto elbowed Wakka. "I've seen it, man. I'm not a virgin," he smirked. Wakka gave him a knowing look and said nothing. He really didn't know if Datto were a virgin or not. But, he was almost positive that he was.

"How long does it take to have sex then?" quizzed Botta.

Datto shrugged. "Twenty minutes?"

"Twenty minutes? Hell no. Ten minutes," Jassu said.

Wakka frowned. "It only takes you ten minutes, and then you're done? That's pathetic, ya," he complained.

Jassu looked flustered. "Well...Um…what I mean is…"

"It takes only fifteen minutes for a good fuck. But, it takes at least thirty minutes to an hour to make love," Tidus said, finally breaking his breast with his fingers. The whole table stared at him. Who the hell was this guy? And what made him think he was an expert on sex?

"Right. Well, it takes me about thirty five minutes then. I do what I can to please the ladies, ya," said Wakka.

"Stop bullshitting, Wakka. You don't 'make love'," Datto smirked, as he got ketchup on his shirt.

"See, that's what you get! Tell a lie about me, and it'll come back to hunt ya," Wakka said, pointing with his fork.

"Hi, Yuna. What brings you by?" smiled Keepa. Tidus looked up at the girl who had suddenly appeared at their table. _She's pretty_, he thought.

"Well, I thought I could meet the new guy," she said, her eyes never leaving Tidus.

"Oh. This is Tidus. He's with us now. One of the Abes," Letty said, waving the conversation away.

"Hi," Tidus said, getting up to go get a soda.

"Hi," Yuna said, watching him walk over to the soda machine. She followed him.

"So, how do you like Zanarkand?" she asked, trying to make eye contact.

Tidus shrugged. "It's a cool city."

He popped his soda and took a long swig. Yuna was struggling for conversation. Usually, she let the boys do all the talking.

"So, do you want to go out sometime?" she asked, giving him her best come-hither stare.

Tidus gave her a smile. "I don't think so. I have a girlfriend. But, thanks, anyway," he said, patting her shoulder and returning to the Abes table. Yuna stood there, shocked, confused, and most of all, furious. How dare he turn her down? Didn't he know who she was? Well, it was good that he was an Abe, they'd let him know the deal.

The bell rang suddenly, bringing her out of her frustrated state. She walked back over to table and gathered her things.

"You look upset," Rikku observed.

"It's nothing. I'll see you later," she said, heading off to her math class. After her math teacher loaded her down with an obscene amount of homework, Yuna rushed to her locker, trying to squeeze in enough time to get rid of her math book. She couldn't remember the combination! Crap. It took her five times to get it, and when she did, the final bell rang. She threw the book inside and ran down the hall, praying to Yevon that she didn't slip and fall. She opened the door, and slid quickly in the first seat that was available.

Mr. Isaaru turned his attention to the class. "Hello class. Let me tell you right now, the person you're sitting next to is the person you're going to sit next to for the entire semester. So, take a few minutes to introduce yourself and get acquainted." Yuna shrugged and turned to her left. A hand was thrust toward her.

"Hi. I'm Tidus. I think we met earlier."

Yuna just stared at that hand in disbelief. Of all the rotten luck. But, she reasoned, this might work to her advantage. He wouldn't be able to resist her charms forever. She graciously shook his hand, taking notice of how warm it was.

"I'm Yuna," she said. _And your mine._

* * *

Mr. Isaaru pressed his palms together and observed his class. He loved teaching, and he loved music. But, there was something about a blossoming young girl, too, that never evaded his attention. He served as the school's guidance counselor as well, and he loved listening to all of their problems. He was dressed in his usual school attire: white long sleeved button down shirt, and charcoal gray slacks. His reddish-brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. His classroom didn't have desks, but tables that seated two students. He'd done that on purpose. He liked catching his students off guard, when he forced them to get to know the person next to them, otherwise they might choose to sit in a different spot every class.

"Welcome to Music. Do any of you play an instrument?" he asked with a bright smile. Someone coughed, but other than that, no answer. "Well, it's a good thing this isn't band, huh? Its music, sure, but I like to study…dancing," he said, with a sly smile.

Wakka coughed. "Excuse me, Mr. Isaaru, did you say dancing?"

Mr. Isaaru nodded. "I sure did. And we're going to have partners this term. That warm and friendly person you're sitting next to is your partner." Wakka glanced at the girl sitting next to him again. Lulu. Shit. She was giving him an incredulous stare as well. The classroom immediately erupted into outrage and disbelief.

"I'm sitting next to Letty. There's no way I'm doing a waltz with him," Baralai complained. Mr. Isaaru considered that, as he surveyed the class.

"Okay. Letty, swap seats with her," he said, pointing to a girl with short dark gray hair. Baralai froze. Paine. The bitter feminist. You could tell she hated men…well, because she'd tell you. Letty stifled a giggle as he swapped his chair with her. Paine fixed a steely gaze on Baralai and said nothing.

"Mr. Isaaru, are you serious? Dancing?" smirked Gippal.

He wasn't concerned with his choice of partner, as of course, his girlfriend, Rikku was sitting next to him, anyway. He was concerned with looking like a damn fool.

"Of course I'm serious. This class is a requirement for seniors, and I'm going to make sure you earn it. I'll even let you pick your own music, how about that?" he smiled. Yuna couldn't have been happier with the assignment. This would surely guarantee her more time with Tidus.

Mr. Isaaru loved every minute of the boys' squirming. They'd thank him when they were able to pull off some hot moves at their weddings.

"I love Latin music myself," he said, walking over to a small stereo sitting on his desk. He pressed the play button and the room filled with an exotic, fast tempo. Mr. Isaaru closed his eyes so he could "feel" the music. He lost himself as his hips and shoulders began to unconsciously shimmy to the beat.

'What the hell is this?' Gippal mouthed to Baralai.

Mr. Isaaru snapped out of it, remembering he was teaching a class and not at his favorite night club. "We won't be using the classroom that much. Starting tomorrow, we're meeting in the gymnasium, okay? Girls, I wouldn't wear heels, either."

Wakka couldn't believe this was happening. This was his worst nightmare come true. Well, that and seeing Auron naked. He'd been hoping for an easy senior year. And the fact that his partner hadn't said two sentences to him since the class started hadn't helped.

Letty turned to Baralai. "I should have waited for Yuna," he complained in a low voice.

Baralai leaned closer. "I know. Damn it. This would have been the perfect opportunity, but I won't need it. There's the Belgemine Hawkins dance this Friday. She'll ask me. Sorry." Letty felt a pinch on his ear.

"Pay attention, love. I don't want to look like an idiot, okay?" complained LeBlanc, his partner. Letty would have given her eye contact, if her cleavage wasn't begging for his attention. LeBlanc always wore clothing that revealed most of her cleavage. And the opened pink blouse she was wearing right now was no different.

"Well, that's all for today class. Don't forget. I'm also your guidance counselor. So, if you have a problem, you can come to my office," Mr. Isaaru smiled.

Baralai rolled his eyes. This guy would be the last person in Spira he'd tell his personal affairs to. He reached under his thick headband and scratched his temple. He turned to Paine to ask her about their routine, but she was gone.

"Can you believe we got to do that stupid shit, ya? I mean, dancing?" Wakka complained in the school's parking lot. He threw his backpack into his car angrily. Tidus leaned against his own car and smiled with amusement. Sure, he felt uncomfortable as hell with the thought of performing some kind of complicated dance, but it sounded like it could be fun.

"You can dance. I've seen you at the club."

"That's the club. This won't be the same thing. And then he stuck me with Lulu. You know how she feels about jocks. Thinks we're just some dumb shits, ya," he muttered. Tidus didn't find it necessary to argue with that. There were some jocks dumb as shit.

"I got to go. I got a ton of damn homework already," Wakka said, climbing behind the wheel of his car and driving off. Tidus sat down in the driver's seat and picked up his cell phone. He dialed Darcy's number. As he waited for her to pickup, he noticed Yuna strolling across the parking lot. He stared for a moment, watching the way the wind whipped delicately through her hair, the way her skirt wrapped around her hips. "Hi, Tidus," he heard in his ear. He would have been listening, but Yuna reached up and pulled her hair out of its ponytail. He stared as she tossed her head to make the brown strands arrange themselves neatly as they fell to her shoulders. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Yet, aggressive. A trait he despised in a woman.

"Hi, Tidus. Are you there?" he heard again.

He blinked. "Yeah, I'm here. How was your first day back?"

He heard a laugh. "It's good to be back, but it's not the same without you here, you know?"

"Yeah. Same here." He watched Yuna drive off.

"I miss you. When do you think you can visit? Or, I can come see you and finally see Zanarkand." Tidus wasn't sure he wanted her to come to Zanarkand yet, and he was unsure as to why he didn't.

"I'll come soon. I promise."

"You better. We said this distance wasn't going to come between us. Besides, I'm sure the girls are all over you."

"No, not at all," he lied. There was no need to make Darcy jealous, and she was most definitely the jealous type.

After he ended his call, he made a promise to himself that he would go visit her soon. He drove to Gagazet Heights with these thoughts on his mind. He pulled into the driveway of the brown brick house with white shutters that he was becoming familiar with. He entered through the kitchen door and carelessly dropped his backpack on the floor as he headed to the fridge.

"Ouch, Zalora. I told you, it hurts like hell," he heard Jecht complaining from the living room. He carried his soda and walked down the short hallway to where he could see his father sitting in his favorite plaid recliner, with an ice pack on his shoulder.

"Dad, what happened?" he asked.

Jecht grimaced. "Oh, it's nothing. A brick felt like landing on my shoulder today, that's all." Jecht owned his own construction company, and they were working on building a new subdivision in East Zanarkand. This particular project is what brought them to Zanarkand to begin with.

"He'd be fine if he let me look after him," Zalora pouted, giving TIdus a small wink. He ignored her and turned back to his father.

"Maybe you should have gone to have it checked out," he suggested.

Jecht grunted. "How many times do I have to say I'm fine?"

Tidus shrugged. It wasn't his shoulder in pain. He turned to head to the stairway.

"How was your first day?" called Jecht. He paused and turned back.

"It was fine, Dad. It's just school."

"I know that. But, no school is ever the same. When's your next game? I want to be there this time."

"Next Friday. We're playing the Goers."

"Ha. That'll be fun playing your old team, huh?"

Tidus wasn't so sure. The Goers were a tough team. He'd said he didn't want to steal Baralai's thunder, but if he didn't, they might lose.

* * *

"Step up to your partner, and put your hand on her waist. Like this," Mr. Isaaru said, the next afternoon in the gymnasium.

"Ouch, my foot," Lulu complained, as Wakka's large sneaker pressed down.

"Don't touch me," warned Paine.

"He said put your hand on my waist, not my ass," Rikku complained.

_And it begins, _sighed Mr. Isaaru. He turned to his partner, Calli, a fellow senior, but not in their class. She liked to help Mr. Isaaru when he was instructing.

"Now, with your other hand, grab her hand," he said, demonstrating. Tidus paused. He wasn't sure this was a good idea, after all. Yuna waited, holding out her free hand. He finally took it.

"Now, move closer," Mr. Isaaru instructed.

Baralai cringed. "We need to pass, okay?" he pleaded with Paine.

"Alright. But touch anything unauthorized, and I'll kick your ass," she threatened. She didn't have to threaten.

"Don't hold my hand like that. It's not a blitzball," Lulu complained, showing Wakka the correct way it was done.

"It's not like this is the first time I've held a girl's hand, ya," he complained.

"It's the first time you've held this hand."

_And the last, ya!_

What the hell was Mr. Isaaru thinking? Tidus wondered. What teacher deliberately gave teenage boys permission to press their bodies against a girl's? He felt Yuna press her hip against his.

"Okay, now, we're going to take three steps to the right, like this," Mr. Isaaru said, moving gracefully across the floor.

"We can do that easily, Rikku," Gippal said, taking the lead and pulling her along. His left foot stumbled over hers, and she had to steady them to keep from falling.

"Gippal, stop playing around." Was she taking this seriously?

"Are you serious, Rikku? This is a joke. You know that."

"No, it's not. It's important stuff to know."

Rikku secretly harbored fantasies of dancing like this at her very own wedding. And incidentally, she hoped Gippal would be the groom.

Letty took a bad step and fell face forward into LeBlanc's cleavage. He smiled into it, as she pushed him away.

"You did that on purpose!" she accused.

"No, I didn't. It was an accident."

She stared at him closely. "Okay, love. No more funny business. Bartello won't appreciate it," she said, referring to her steady. Letty nodded. Bartello was a huge guy, and he the only broken ribs he wanted were on his dinner plate.

"This would go a lot easier if you weren't so tense," Yuna said.

"I'm not tense," Tidus said, though he was tense as hell.

"You can't tell me that you don't like holding me so closely," she said. He gritted his teeth. Couldn't she quit flirting for five minutes?

"I don't like it. I told you. I'm involved."

"I bet she's flirting with half the school by now."

Tidus felt his neck redden. "She's not you," he snapped.

Yuna involuntarily squeezed his hand hard. He grimaced. She pondered why she even wanted to go out with this jerk in the first place. Rikku was right, but she wasn't giving up. One glare from his azure blue eyes, and she felt her pulse run hot.

"There's a dance this Friday. The Belgemine Hawkins," she said.

He forced himself to look at her. "So?"

"So, I'm asking you."

He almost laughed. This girl didn't give up. Too bad. "I don't think so."

"You're not going? You're going to miss all of the dances because your girlfriend isn't here?" she asked with disbelief.

"I'm going, just not with you," he assured her. He'd already had several invitations. She glared at him. Tidus tried hard not to notice how pretty she was when she was mad.

"We're going down!"

They turned to see Wakka and Lulu tumble to the floor. Mr. Isaaru just simply stared. Then, he shook his head.

"That's not good coordination. You have to be in perfect harmony with your partner. I do not like this. I want you to spend three hours with your partner on Saturdays. I don't care what you do, but you're going to have to get to know each other." Tons of moans and groans filled the air.

"I've got better things to do with my weekends than spend it with this twat!"

"Five days is enough with her! Are you trying to scar me for life?"

"Paine. Baralai. That's enough. That's your assignment for this weekend. I'm grading this." More disgust and grumbling.

"I got to work!" Wakka yelled, obviously glad to escape.

"Me, too!" chimed in Tidus.

Mr. Isaaru smiled at them. "I said only three hours. You can spend them before or after your shifts."

Wakka looked disappointed. He turned to Lulu. "I got to work from two to seven."

"Nine o' clock is fine for me."

Wakka's eyes widened. "Nine o'clock? I hope you mean at night."

"No. I have plans at night."

"Forget it."

"I'm not taking a zero, buddy. I suggest you get a good night's sleep on Friday," she said, gathering her things as Mr. Isaaru dismissed them. She couldn't believe her luck, anyway. She usually had great luck. How'd she get stuck with Wakka, of all guys? She wished her boyfriend, Seymour, hadn't taken this last year. He was the perfect gentleman, and had aced this class. Wakka's two left feet were going to land her a B, she was sure.

Tidus turned to Yuna. "We better do it at night," he said. She agreed eagerly. Tidus closed his eyes as he mentally replayed that last sentence in his mind.

"Okay. What time?" she asked.

He scratched his head as he thought about it. "Eight. Is that okay?"

"Fine. Do you want to come over to my place?" His immediately thoughts were…No. But, he didn't really want to have to explain her to Jecht and Zalora, either.

"Okay. Give me your address." Yuna jotted it down quickly on a piece of paper. He took it and stuffed it into his jeans pocket.

"Okay. I'll see you," he said, walking off. Yuna gathered her things, taking a moment to watch Tidus walk through the gymnasium double doors. This boy was definitely different. But, in a good way.

She turned to see if Rikku wanted a ride home, but found her cousin wrapped in Gippal's embrace. Yuna shook her head at the two and headed for the doors.

"Hey, Yuna, wait up for a second," she heard someone call. She turned and saw Baralai rushing over to her. She couldn't help but notice that his mint green headband matched his hoodie precisely.

"It's a shame that we're not paired together for this, huh? Sure would have made the semester a lot nicer." Yuna nodded, but offered nothing.

"You know that the Belgemine Hawkins dance is Friday," he said.

"No one's asked you yet?" she asked, slightly surprised. His dark chocolate eyes looked her over.

"Yeah. But, I'm holding out for a special lady," he told her. Yuna considered. She really should go ahead and invite Baralai. After all, Tidus had already told her no, and she was sure he wasn't going to change his mind.

"Okay. Baralai, would you like to be my date to the dance Friday night?"

He smiled. "Of course. Is it going to be an interesting night?"

"We'll see what we can do to liven the party up," she said, seductively.

His smile widened. "Great. I'll be waiting patiently, Yuna."

He walked off. She turned and headed out into the cool Zanarkand air. She was back to being her usual flirtatious self, only now, she felt guilty about doing it. Why? She wasn't sure. Maybe seeing her in the arms of another man would finally knock some sense into Tidus. She headed to her jeep and climbed into the driver's seat. She saw Tidus drive by, with Datto in his passenger seat. Maybe they had practice. Anyhow, she had to make sure she looked sensational for the dance on Friday night. She reached inside her purse for her pack of Zu's, and pulled one out and stuck it in her mouth. Braska would certainly not approve of her smoking. But, then she didn't approve of his drinking, either. So they were even.

She decided to drive over to Lulu's and see if she wanted to go shopping with her for a dress. Lulu was fussy with most of her clothing, but like any other teenage girl, she would love to go shopping.

* * *

The Zanarkand High gymnasium looked sensational Friday night. The dance committee had done a very good job. There were bright streamers of every imaginable color decorating the ceiling. The tablecloths were even customized of several different colors. Flashing fluorescent lights decorated the floor.

"So, what do you think? It looks nice, doesn't it?" Seymour asked, as he handed Lulu a cup of shoopuf punch. She took it and took a tentative sip. It wasn't bad.

"Yes, you did a good job. Congratulations," she told him, since she knew he'd served on the committee. A random guy came over and poured himself a glass of punch, eyeing Lulu's cleavage as he walked away.

Seymour gritted his teeth. "Damn it, Lulu. Couldn't you have chosen something a little more conservative to wear?"

"I like this dress," she said easily. It was made of red silk that was snug around her small waist. The neckline was off shoulder, and it revealed more cleavage than even her mother approved of, but she liked the material a lot.

Lulu knew she looked sensational from the approving glances most of the boys gave her. Her dark hair was loose, with the sides pinned back, her long bangs combed to the side in front. Seymour glared at all of the boys who dared look at his girl longer than two minutes. He straightened his red silk tie, and buttoned his dark jacket.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.

"Sure," she said, putting her punch down. They made their way to the crowded dance floor.

Wakka stood standing by the refreshment table, holding his untouched plate of nachos and cheese. Was that Lulu? She looked hot. He couldn't help but watch the way her hips swayed to the music.

"Hey, Wakka. Who are you here with?" Jassu asked, as he approached the table.

"I'm here with Phoenix. How's the bet going? I bet you haven't even been on a date with Yuna, ya."

"Not yet. But soon. Let's let Baralai think he's making headway."

"Shit. He is. This is his second date with her, ya."

"Correction. This is his _last _date with her," he said, his black eyes narrowing.

"Okay. Whatever. I got to get back to my date. See ya later."

Jassu turned to catch a glimpse of Baralai and Yuna out on the dance floor. He gritted his teeth. He would get his turn soon enough. He couldn't wait either.

Jassu wasn't the only one watching Yuna and Baralai. Over the top of his date's head, Tidus was watching them also. Yuna looked sensational in her strapless crimson dress. Her hair wasn't in its customary ponytail, but instead lay softly on the tips of her shoulders.

"Are you having a good time?" he heard, and looked down into his date's innocent green eyes.

"Yeah. Do you want something to eat or drink?"

He'd agreed to come here with Talynda Ross, an Al Bhed, because he knew she wasn't going to pressure him into any kind of commitment.

"Sure. No shoopuf anything. I'm allergic to shoopufs," she told him. He nodded, and headed over to the refreshment tables.

Yuna saw him head in that direction. "I'm thirsty. Would you like a drink?" she asked Baralai. It wasn't a complete lie. That last song had been an up tempo number.

"I'm hungry. Meet me over at the food buffet," he said. She had to admit he looked nice in his charcoal gray suit, with a crimson colored cravat around his neck, matching his headband. Yuna walked over to the punch table.

Tidus turned, almost colliding with her. "Hey."

"Hi. Enjoying the dance?" she asked, trying really hard not to stare. That guy looked fantastic in black. His suit was black, with a crisp white shirt underneath, that looked great against his tan.

"What's this?" she wondered, frowning into a bowl of green punch.

"I think it's shoopuf punch," Tidus said.

She frowned up at him. "Gross."

"Yeah. Talynda's allergic to it," he nodded.

_WHO_ _THE HELL IS TALYNDA_? Her brain screamed. "So, how about a dance later on?" she asked.

He frowned. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yuna," he said, turning to walk away. She resisted her urge to toss her punch at his back. He hadn't said more than two words to her in Music class that afternoon.

"Did you know…you make me…the happiest guy in Spira," Gippal sang, as he held Rikku close. Rikku cringed. She'd told Gippal a million times that he couldn't carry a note well.

She looked up at him. "Do you know who sings that song?" she asked.

"Yeah. Tromell and the Guado."

"Let's keep it that way," she said, pushing by him and heading to the food buffet. Gippal smirked. Rikku knew deep down, he always wanted to sing for his very own rock band. **She**claimed he couldn't sing, but he knew he was a star waiting to happen.

He walked over. "Rikku, babe. You know I'm going to start my own band. A little support would be nice," he complained, watching her pile food on her plate. She hummed along to the music, deliberately ignoring his complaints. Gippal had to admit, the way she looked tonight, he'd commit a crime speeding if she told him that tonight was "the night." It'd be worth it. The night, of course, would mean when their relationship went on to a more intimate level. He understood that she wanted to take things slowly. It had only been almost four months since they started dating. He paused. Four months? Shit. No wonder he was horny as hell. Rikku paused at the end of the table, waiting for him to snap out of his trance and join her. She was wearing a dark lavender dress, with spaghetti straps, that hugged her young curves to perfection. Her honey blonde hair was down tonight.

After Rikku found the perfect table to sit down and devour her meal, Gippal reached into his pocket, hoping no one spotted his silver flask. He needed a quick drink. He took a sip, and put it back quickly.

"I might have wanted a sip," Rikku complained.

He smiled. "Later. Too dangerous here. Coach Luzzu looks like he wants to murder someone tonight," he said, referring to the man with cherry-red hair in the corner, keeping a close eye on everyone and everything. Gippal was glad he didn't play for the Abes. His own coach, Coach Cid, was more than fair to the Psyches. And the fact that he was dating his daughter didn't hurt.

"I hope you had a good time tonight, Yuna," Baralai said as he pulled along the curb in front of her townhouse. Yuna smiled. She had. Except for Tidus' rebuffs, that is. Baralai leaned over for a kiss. She leaned over and met his lips. It began as a very nice, soft kiss, but soon enough the pace changed as Baralai put a hand on her shoulder and began to kiss her more passionately, his tongue sliding in between her lips.

"Wait a minute, Baralai," she gasped.

"What's the matter, Yuna?"

"Nothing. This is moving too fast for me," she admitted. Baralai pondered his next words carefully. If he expressed his annoyance, she might not go out with him again.

"I understand. No problem. I'm sorry," he said, hoping he looked sincere.

"It's okay. I had a good time." She turned to leave.

"So, can we go out again?" he asked.

She nodded. "I think so," she said, as usual, promising nothing.

She unlocked the door to the townhouse. She didn't hear anything. Hopefully, her father was already resting peacefully in bed. She put her purse down and went upstairs. She opened the door to his bedroom carefully. It was dark inside, but she could see his silhouette in the bed. She tiptoed inside and arranged his blankets over his body better, and then she kissed his forehead. He stirred, but kept snoring.

When she got downstairs again, she walked slowly down the hall to her bedroom, thinking how surprised the students at her school would be to know how lonely she really was. She slipped out of her dress and put on her sleeping clothes. She walked into her bathroom and cleaned her face free of makeup. Her cell phone was ringing. She didn't recognize the number. "Hi," she greeted.

"Hi, Yuna…this is Keepa."

"Hi, Keepa. What's up?" she asked in a friendly voice, though her brain was wondering why the hell was Keepa calling her? He cleared his throat.

Clearly, he was nervous. "I was, um, wondering if you would like to go to a movie tomorrow night?" With you? Yeah, right.

"I can't, Keepa. I have an assignment that requires me to be home at night."

"What about an early show then?"

She sighed. "Okay. But, it'll have to be home really early," she reluctantly agreed. She wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to prepare herself before Tidus showed up.

* * *

"Lulu. Who's this young man? I'm sure we haven't met before," said her mother, Majestic, on Saturday morning. She stared at the stocky, bleary eyed young man at her front door at nine o'clock. He was wearing a pair of navy sweatpants and a yellow hoodie. He looked as though he'd rolled out of bed. His navy headband was pushed down so far, it almost covered his eyes.

"Oh, Mother. This is Wakka. We're in Music class together, remember? As part of our assignment, we have to spend three hours with each other on Saturdays."

Majestic raised an eyebrow. This was the young man her daughter was supposed to dance with at a recital? He looked very uncoordinated. Wakka raised his hazel brown eyes to Lulu's mother, who looked like an older version of Lulu, except her dark hair was chin length, and her bosom was much bigger.

His eyes widened at them. "Praise be to Yevon," he muttered, stepping inside of the very feminine home.

He looked around the room. There was a white grand piano in a corner. The pale pink carpeting looked as though it was went throughout the whole house. The Victorian styled furniture looked expensive, the dark mauve colored bench in particular. He noticed that there wasn't a television in this room. Too bad. There was a bookcase, though.

"Well, Lulu, I'm sure…Wakka would like some breakfast," Majestic said, straightening her skirt.

"No, thanks. I already had it," said Wakka.

"Good. Then, let's get started," Lulu said.

"Well, I'll leave you kids alone," Majestic said, heading down the hallway to an unknown area.

"Have a seat," Lulu said, sitting on the pink settee. Wakka sat down hesitantly.

Lulu was wearing a white sweater and dark jeans. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail today, and even though it was early, her face was made up.

"Well, what would you like to do?" she asked him. He almost smiled, as naughty thoughts entered his mind.

"We could go for a walk and talk, ya."

"It's cold out there." He shrugged. This was going to be a long morning.

"Well, you could help me with this project I'm working on here."

"What's that?"

"I'm painting my bedroom."

"Okay. You're gonna paint in that?" he asked, incredulously.

"No. I'll change. Let me go tell me my mother what we're doing." For some reason, she seemed nicer today. Or resigned to the fact that this had to happen.

"Okay. Come with me," she beckoned, heading upstairs. Her mother allowed boys upstairs, and in her room? He was beginning to like Majestic. She opened a doorway. "Go and wait inside. I'll be back in a minute and we can get started. Don't touch anything," she warned. He walked inside the empty room. Didn't she say she was painting? He stared at the four white walls. There were several buckets of paint sitting on the floor, but none were open. He walked over to the paints and examined them. He frowned at the choices. Mauve, Aqua, Lavender, or Pale Yellow.

"Okay. I'm back."

"So, what's the color going to be, ya?"

"I don't know. I'm torn between mauve and lavender."

He shook his head. "Why not go with the yellow?" he asked, thinking of the Abes colors: navy blue and yellow.

"Because I'm not on a blitzball team," she scolded, obviously knowing his train of thought.

"Okay. Well, pick the aqua then."

"I'm going with the lavender," she said.

He shrugged. He wasn't going to spend a lot of time in here, so he didn't care. "Here. Help me cover the floor with this plastic," she said, handing him several sheets of it. He did as she asked, wondering why she was so anal. Was she truly happy living this kind of existence? When they were done putting down all of the plastic, Wakka silently picked poured the paint of her choice into the pan.

"Lulu. You have a phone call. Should I take a message?"called Majestic.

"Yes, Mother. Thank you."

Probably Seymour, thought Wakka. What a dick. How'd he get a girl like Lulu, anyway? He picked up his roller and began. Lulu noticed that he had removed his sweatshirt and was wearing a white t-shirt, his strong muscles flexing as he pushed the roller up and down the wall. She studied his profile. He wasn't bad looking.

He caught her stare. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just making sure you're doing it right," she lied, turning to her own roller.

* * *

_She's got to be kidding me. She doesn't really live on a chocobo farm, _Baralai thought, as he drove slowly down the dirt road. It was two in the afternoon on Saturday, and he could think of a trillion other ways he would rather have spent it. His truck bounced as he tried to maneuver the many potholes. He saw an enormous red barn up ahead. Shit. She _really _did live on a chocobo farm! He liked chocobos well enough, as long as they were on his plate. Other than that, he had an abnormal fear of the birds. A bead of perspiration ran down the side of his face as he saw a dozen or so chocobos out in the open field. He pulled up slowly to the white two story house that sat further north. He looked up at the house. It had certainly seen better days, he thought, noticing the peeling paint and broken shutters.

He got out of the truck slowly, and closed the door. A rush of cool air made him hug his brown jacket a little tighter as he made his way to the rickety steps. He looked for a doorbell, but failed. He raised his knuckles and knocked. He waited. He didn't hear anything else, so he turned to look over the fields again. Finally, the old door creaked. He turned back to it, anticipating Paine, but instead found himself staring at a very old woman. She had her gray hair pulled back into a tight bun. She gave him a friendly smile, closing her blue sweater that was covering a flower print dress. He looked down at her.

"Afternoon, ma'am. I'm looking for Paine."

The old woman nodded vigorously. "You must be the twat," she said pleasantly.

Baralai felt his cheeks burn. "My name is Baralai, ma'am."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Paine's granny. Folene. She's out in the barn, starting her afternoon chores."

Baralai nodded. "Okay. Thank you," he said, turning to head back down the stairs. The old woman closed the door softly. Baralai seethed all the way to the barn. How dare she talk about him like that behind his back? Not that he cared what Folene thought, he just wasn't having it.

He opened the barn door and stormed inside. "Where the hell are you?" he called out angrily. He passed several stalls before he finally came upon Paine, sitting on an overturned crate, milking a snow wolf. The animal sensed Baralai's presence, its left red eye started to twitch suspiciously.

"It's alright. Don't let him get to you. He doesn't mean to come off as an asshole," Paine soothed, talking softly to the animal.

"I'm an asshole? At least I'm not twisted enough to tell my grandmother you're a bitch."

Paine chuckled softly. "Why don't you grab a crate and help me out?" Baralai gave her an incredulous look. Did she expect him to put his hands on a wolf's tit?

"I don't think so. I'd rather watch."

"Well, **I'd **rather you helped me out. I've got to milk all of these guys and with your help; it won't take me as long." He sighed deeply and removed his jacket, draping it over one of the stalls.

"What do I have to do?"

"It'll be easy for you. I'm sure you've squeezed tits before," she said, getting up and walking over to a random crate and dragging it a few feet from hers. _What a bitter bitch, _he thought absently, though his eyes couldn't help but admire the way her skin tight black jeans fit. He sat down on his crate, while she walked a wolf over.

After Paine had the animal in front of him, he just stared blankly. Paine sighed with annoyance, and pushed a bucket under the wolf. _Just like a man to not know what the hell was going on_. She squatted by the animal. "Here. Put your hands here and squeeze," she demonstrated. He rolled up the sleeves of his white sweatshirt and hesitantly put his hands on the animal's teats. Paine moved suddenly, squeezing his hands, and making milk squirt out of the animal rapidly. A random shot splattered all over Baralai's face.

"Let go of me!"

"No. Squeeze it." He obeyed, and she finally let his hands go and stood up. He glared up at her. She walked back over to her crate and sat down to finish her work. _Mr. Isaaru was going to pay for this_. _Well…someone was going to pay for this_, thought Baralai angrily as he concentrated on milking the wolf. But he had a determined streak, so he wasn't going to let Paine get to him.

* * *

Rikku stifled a yawn for the billionth time on Saturday afternoon. Hanging out with Gippal wasn't really a requirement for her. She looked around the basement with boredom. The cluttered old furniture that the Highfields had thrown down here over the years could really use a good dusting.

"And…I need you…tonight…..desperately, baby…" Gippal screamed into the microphone he was clutching. _Oh, my, did he write that himself? _Rikku's brain panicked. It was worst than his rendition of his other self-pinned song, _My Body Burns for an Al Bhed Girl_.

"Oooh…yeah, baby…."

Rikku coughed and got up to head for the staircase. She could use a drink. Gippal noticed and paused.

"Rikku. Where are you going? I'm singing to you, you know," he said, holding an arm out as if there was an actual audience witnessing his love for her. "I'm thirsty, Gippal."

"There's soda in the cooler."

"Yeah, well…um, I'm hungry, too."

"There's food in the cooler. What's going on here?"

"I have to pee," she said, cleverly outsmarting him.

"Alright. Hurry back." She continued up the stairs and opened the door. She leaned against the door.

"How's it going? Ready to cut that boyfriend of yours throat yet?" Cid asked, his voice barely audible with the cigar held between his lips. He opened up the sports section of the Zanarkand Times. Brother let out an exaggerated laugh from his place on the sofa. Rikku gave him a dirty look and sat down on the couch.

"He's getting on my nerves, Pops. How can I break it to Gippal gently that he doesn't have a chance in the Farplane of making it as a rock star?"

"Tell him he stinks," Cid muttered, his eyes never leaving the paper.

"Gippal sings like he's got cactuar needles in his throat," laughed Brother. Cid joined him.

"You guys, that's not funny. So, what can I do? I've tried to tell him, but he won't listen."

"Record his voice and let him listen to it. That ought to do it," Cid said. Rikku rolled her eyes in frustration. Why couldn't they be serious for once? Gippal was an important person in her life, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"As long as he does what he needs to do in the sphere pool, I don't care what he sings like," said Cid. Of course. As long as the star player of his team was content, and helped bring the team to victory, those were his only concerns. He'd been teaching the Al Bhed Psyches for ten years, and he'd never had a player as good as Gippal.

"Say no more, Rikku. I think I know what you're trying to say," they heard and turned to see Gippal standing in the doorway of the living room. The expression of hurt on his face indicated that he'd heard most or all of their conversation. He clutched his guitar and turned to leave. He stormed out the door.

"Gippal!" Rikku called, getting up to hurry after him. She ran down the hall and opened the door. He was already in his sports car, speeding down the alley.

"Let him be, Rikku. He needed to hear the truth. Sometimes it's a painful thing, but it needs to be done," said Cid, who had come up behind her to caress her shoulder. She lowered her head. This wasn't the way she wanted to spend her Saturday at all. She looked at the clock on the wall absently as an ironic thought passed her mind. Gippal had been over for over four hours. At least he'd been there long enough for the assignment. "I need some time alone, okay?" she said, and turned to go down the hallway to her bedroom, where she wondered what Monday would bring.

She reached for her cell phone and tried calling Gippal. It immediately went to his voice mail. She didn't leave a message. She tried calling Yuna, really needing a friend to talk to. Yuna's voice mail picked up also. _Where are you, Yuna? _She tried Lulu.

"Hi, Rikku. What's going on?" she asked. Rikku breathed a sigh of relief.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3: Pajama Party

Yuna slammed the front door in exasperation. It was a quarter to eight, and Keepa had held her longer than she'd intended. She hurried down the hall to her bedroom, determined to at least freshen up before Tidus arrived. She checked her makeup and made sure her clothing was still intact. She was wearing a pink hoodie that clung to her body and a jean skirt. White boots were on her feet. She ran the brush quickly through her hair and decided to check on Braska and tell him that she was expecting company. She looked down and noticed a tiny spot on her white undershirt. She shrugged, and continued up the stairs. She tapped on her father's bedroom door. No answer. She peeked inside. "Hi, Yuna," he greeted from the bed. He was clutching a glass, the lamp on the bedside table still on.

"Hi. I wanted to check on you. I'm expecting company, for a school assignment, so if you hear talking, that's what it is."

He nodded. "Make the grade. We want you to get into Zanarkand University with good grades, don't we?"

She nodded, without replying. She was torn. Like any normal teenager, she looked forward to college and the freedom it would bring her, but she also felt guilt. What would happen to Braska when she wasn't there?

"I'm going to turn in, honey. We should have breakfast together, okay? I want to hear all about school," he said, turning his glass up and finishing it. Then, he reached for the lamp.

"Goodnight," Yuna said, closing the door softly. She went back downstairs and decided to wait for Tidus in the living room. She laid her head on the soft cushion. Before long, she nodded off. A short while later, she woke up, startled that she was on the sofa. She looked up at the clock. Nine fifteen. He was late, or he'd decided to blow her off. She frowned and headed to her bedroom to put on her night clothes. She washed her face as bitter thoughts about Tidus filled her mind. This was an assignment! She hadn't asked him over herself! As she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, she heard a loud thump. Oh, no, she thought as she hurried down the hall to the living room. She looked up the stairs. Braska lay on the first landing, having rolled down the three steps.

"Father! Are you okay?" she panicked, hurrying up the stairs. Braska lay there murmuring in his unconscious state. Yuna tried to help him up, his weight being a tremendous burden on her small arms. "Father," she called again. He snored. Where had he thought he was going? The doorbell rang, sending her into a panic. "Father, please, help me," she begged, tugging on his arm. Yuna didn't know what to do. It would be really embarrassing for Tidus to witness all of this, but what choice did she have? She couldn't ignore the door. She lay Braska back down gently, and descended the stairs. She opened the door. Tidus opened his mouth to apologize, but one look at her frightened face made him lose his train of thought.

"Yuna? Is something wrong?"

"My father….he fell….I can't pick him up," she explained, close to tears. Tidus walked in and closed the door quickly. He looked up the stairs and saw Braska slumped there.

"What happened? Did he have a heart attack or something?" he asked, as he climbed the stairs quickly.

"No. He's….well…."

"Is he hurt?"

"I don't think so. He didn't make a noise when I tried to move him."

Tidus nodded, taking note of the alcohol on Braska's breath as he checked him over. "I think he's fine. Is his bed up there?"

Yuna nodded. He walked behind Braska and put his arms around his waist. With a grunt, he lifted him off the floor and started inching up the stairs backwards.

Yuna followed slowly, hoping that Braska was really okay. This wasn't the first time he'd fallen down the stairs, of course. He never broke anything because of the short fall. She walked ahead of Tidus and pushed Braska's bedroom door opened. Tidus pulled Braska inside and beckoned Yuna to grab his legs. Together, they placed him on the bed. Yuna pulled the covers up, as Braska continued to snore. Tidus silently watched all of this, taking note of genuine concern in her multi-colored eyes. She leaned over and kissed her father's cheek, and turned to leave. Tidus followed closely at her heels, not sure what he should or shouldn't say. Yuna walked into the kitchen and slowly took a glass out of the cupboard. She filled it with water and took a few sips.

She took a deep breath and then she dared to turn around and face Tidus. She found the words so hard to say.

"I won't say a word to anyone," he said, relieving her of having to ask him.

"Thanks." She sat on a stool at the counter and placed her glass down.

He straddled the one next to her. "I got held up at work," he explained, thinking she didn't really want to discuss what had just happened. She turned to him, taking note of his red hoodie and jeans. This wasn't The Tornado's uniform.

He smiled sheepishly. "I went home to change. I had to work in the kitchen today, and I didn't want to show up here smelling like onions and garlic."

She smiled. "Thank you."

He finally noticed that she was in a pair of purple pajamas and a white tank top. Yuna's cheeks reddened when she realized he'd noticed her in her pajamas.

"I thought you weren't coming, "she explained.

Tidus was slightly amused. She seemed shy, and definitely not the aggressive, confident girl he'd come to know within a week.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked him.

"Sure. But, not water."

"Water's good for you," she argued, walking to the fridge and looking inside.

"And who says I always do what's good for me?" he asked.

Yuna turned back to him in surprise. Unless her ears were playing tricks on her, it almost sounded as though he was flirting with her. She grabbed a soda and placed it in front of him on the counter.

"It's a little after nine thirty. It'll be pretty late by the time you leave," she said.

He shrugged. "My Dad won't think anything of it. It's the weekend."

"Do you always stay out late on the weekends?"

"I used to. Sometimes, I would stay out all night, and there would be hell to pay when I got home." Yuna could hear her cell phone ringing. "I'll be right back," she said, going down the hall to her bedroom to answer it.

"Hi, this is Yuna."

"Hi, Yuna. This is Botta. How you doin' tonight?"

"I'm fine. What's up?" she asked, absently picking up the clothing she'd discarded on the floor earlier. "So, what are your plans for tomorrow? Hopefully something that includes me," he said. Yuna put the clothes in the chair in the corner. She didn't think she could endure another date this week.

"I'm going to stay home tomorrow, Botta."

"That's a shame. You should want to have some fun. You're young," he said, and Yuna could hear loud music in the background.

"Where are you?" she asked him.

"Out with the Abes. It's Datto's birthday."

"Oh, tell him 'happy birthday' for me." She heard Botta tell him. "He said he wants a birthday kiss on Monday," he told Yuna.

"Sure. Well, listen, I have to go."

"That's too bad. Okay. I'll see you Monday."

"Bye, Botta."

"Bye." She hung up and pondered for a moment. Sometimes being popular was a chore. Maybe she should find a boyfriend.

"So, this is your room, huh?" she heard, and turned to see Tidus in the doorway, holding his soda.

"Tidus, you shouldn't be in here. My father…"

"Won't be up until morning," he said absently, looking at all of the various posters that decorated her walls. He walked over to a corkboard on the closet door, and stared at the all of the pictures tacked on it. "You're really popular, huh?" he asked.

Yuna sat on her bed and sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So, you don't like it?" he asked, sensing a sour note. He sat down on the floor in front of her, and crossed his legs.

"Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't," she said, embracing her legs.

"So, why do you do it?"

"Why do you play blitzball?"

"That's easy. I like it."

She thought for a moment. "How long have you and your girlfriend been together?" He traced a finger along the hardwood floor, and she thought he wasn't going to answer.

"It's really complicated. Well, it started off complicated."

"Why?" she asked, sprawling on her stomach and facing him. He couldn't believe he was even talking to her about it. But, here in her home, she seemed so laid back.

"Well, we were at a party for the Goers after we won a game. We both got really drunk…and had a one night stand."

Yuna's eyes widened. She hadn't thought he was a virgin, of course, but a one night stand?

He scratched the back of his head. "I wasn't planning on seeing her again after that, but then I found out she went to my school. She expected a relationship, and I felt guilty about it, so I let it happen. It's been about six months."

"How do you feel about her now? Did you ever start to like her?"

Tidus didn't really want to talk about it. He felt tremendous guilt where his relationship with Darcy stood. He let her use him, so she could say she was dating the star of the Goers, but he'd used her for his physical needs as well.

"What about you? You're the most popular girl in school, right? How come you don't have a boyfriend?" he asked instead.

"I'm not really sure. I haven't met anyone that I wanted to be with, you know." _Until you, _she thought, longing to reach over and run her fingers through his silky blond hair. She was beginning to realize that her feelings for Tidus were different. She didn't just want him as a trophy boyfriend and then discard him.

"So, you just live here with your father then?" he asked.

"Yes. My mother was attacked by a mugger in West Zanarkand, and he left her for dead. She died a day later."

"My mother's dead, too. She died when I was a real little kid, and I don't remember the disease she had. I have a stepmother now." They stared at each other for a moment, realizing they finally had something in common.

"So, how do you think this dancing is going to go?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know."

"Maybe we should practice," he said, standing up.

"In here?"

"Why not?"

"Okay. I'll be right back," she said, heading to the hall closet to find Braska's music, the only kind that was suitable for the kind of dancing they would be doing.

Yuna came back with the music and walked over to the machina stereo Rikku had given her on her last birthday. She put the music on and it filled the room. Tidus pulled his hoodie over his head, giving Yuna a nice glimpse of his toned stomach. He put it aside and pulled his t-shirt down.

"Ready?" he asked Yuna, holding out his hand. She took it, trying to remember the routine they'd been practicing all week. Tidus placed a hand on her hip and pulled her closer. "Okay. One, two, three…to the left…"

"Right for me…left for you…" Yuna corrected.

"Right."

They began the complicated routine. It wasn't working. On the seventh try, Yuna missed the turn again. Tidus sighed, but said nothing. He decided to begin again. This time, he missed a step.

"Okay. This time I've got it," he assured her on the ninth try. They were halfway through the routine, when he tripped over the leg of the vanity table's chair, sending them crashing to the floor. Yuna landed on top of him in a thump, their noses inches apart. Both of their breathing quickened. Yuna slowly leaned down to his lips.

"Yuna, I have to go," Tidus said, pushing her back and sitting up quickly.

She looked over at the illuminated clock: 12:40. He put his hoodie back on. Yuna was confused and hurt. She knew that she wasn't the only one that felt the physical attraction between them. Tidus turned back to her at the door.

"I'll see you Monday," he said, turning to leave. Yuna sat on her bed slowly, listening to the rain begin to tap against her window. Why did she feel like this? How could one boy make her feel so many different emotions that it made her head spin?

Outside in his car, Tidus sat, watching the rain pound his windshield. Why had he pulled away from Yuna just now? He'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't attracted to her. That was the problem. He was. Very attracted to her, and especially the Yuna he'd spent the past three hours with. He knew he had to be careful from now on. He had a girlfriend. And Yuna only wanted him because she couldn't have him. That was her game. So, then, even knowing this, why the hell did he want to get out of his car and run up to her door, grab her as soon as she opened it, and press his lips against hers? He would have to go to Luca soon. Seeing Darcy would set him straight.

* * *

The middle of September promised an early Zanarkand winter. The temperature was damn near freezing. Though no signs of snow just yet, the weather forecaster promised that it would show up soon. Auron glimpsed at the flat screen with a hint of interest. If the weather really took a turn for the worst, he would have to close down the restaurant for a few days.

"You goin' close down soon?" Wakka asked, stretched across the thick carpet, reading.

"No. The weather's not too bad yet. How's the dance class going?" Auron asked, raising his magazine to hide his smile.

Wakka preferred not to think about it, much less talk about it. He and Lulu just couldn't get that stupid routine down. This weekend she was supposed to come over to his house to practice. He didn't have to work, so it all worked out.

"I wish I could just get it all done and over with, ya."

"Only a few more months until the semester end." Auron stood up and stretched. "I'm going out for the afternoon," he said. Wakka nodded. Mondays were the only day that Auron didn't open the restaurant. He liked to spend time with his lady friends then.

That last blitzball game against the Goers hadn't gone too well. Actually, if Tidus hadn't decided to take things into his own hands, and score the last two winning goals, it would have ended badly. Baralai hadn't appreciated that at all. He ripped into Tidus as soon as they were in the locker room. _'What the hell did you think you were doing out there?' he'd demanded Tidus. 'Saving our asses from losing!' yelled Tidus. Baralai had grabbed him roughly about the collar. 'Nobody tries to outshine me on this team! Especially some new guy!' Tidus had pushed Baralai just as roughly into a locker. Wakka and the Abes tried to break them up, but neither would release the other. _

'_Don't ever talk to me like that again, Baralai! You should be grateful!' 'You fucking punk!' yelled Baralai, charging Tidus to the floor. He punched him in the face twice, before Tidus rolled him over and punched back. It had taken the entire team and Coach Luzzu to break them up. Baralai and Tidus were benched for three games._ Wakka didn't want to admit it, but he was impressed with those moves he saw Tidus doing. Maybe he should be captain of the Abes. He heard his cell phone ringing.

"Five minutes," Auron warned, walking to his bedroom from the shower. Wakka was grounded for two weeks. The manager at the Omega Room informed Auron that he was there and underage.

"Wakka," he said into the phone.

"Hey, Wakka, can you talk?" asked Botta.

"Just for a minute, ya. What's up?"

"I wanted to talk about the game last night. Baralai's pissed, man."

"I know."

"But, listen, did you see that move Tidus did? It was cool."

"Sure was, ya."

"I had a date with Yuna planned for tonight, but she's sick. Got a cold."

Wakka shook his head. He wasn't surprised with this weather.

"I hear the Garuda flu is going around, ya. You better go get your shot," he warned Botta.

"I went this morning."

"Time's up," said Auron.

"I got to go, Botta. See you at practice tomorrow."

"Maybe. If it doesn't snow. Bye."

"Bye."

Auron put on his heavy overcoat. "Do I need to take that phone?"

"No. It's not like I can anywhere, ya."

"Got that damn right. Don't leave the house."

"I know."

He watched Auron leave and immediately closed the textbook. His phone was ringing. It was Baralai. He grimaced. He did not want to talk to another Abe tonight. Where were the women?

"What's up?" he answered reluctantly.

"I'll tell you what's up, Wakka. That son of a bitch cost me four stitches above my eye, that's what."

"Well, Baralai, his eye is black. What the hell did you think he was gonna do?"

"I never liked that guy anyway. I'd heard from Bickson about him."

"Bickson? You been talking to the Goers, ya?"

"Just Bickson. I wanted to find out about Tidus."

"Yeah, so?"

"Just as I thought. He used to be the captain of the Goers. Well, _I'm_ the captain of the Abes and it's going to stay that way."

Wakka couldn't care less.

* * *

Tidus absently noticed that Yuna wasn't in Music class on Monday afternoon. He wasn't required to spend the past Saturday with her, so he didn't know what was going on. Mr. Isaaru had relented to give them every other Saturday.

"Tidus, I guess you're going to have to sit on the bleachers and watch all week. Yuna's out. She's got the Garuda flu," said Mr. Isaaru.

Tidus grimaced slightly. Jecht had forced him to go get a shot Saturday morning. Not because he was concerned with Tidus' health, but because he was concerned with his own. He made his way over to the bleachers and took a seat. Well, at least he wouldn't have to dance this week, unless the urge came over him in his own home.

He glared as Baralai came into view with Paine. His blackened left eye was a reminder of why he hated the guy. Yuna was sick. He thought for a moment about their 'almost' kiss two weeks ago. They both had played it cool, pretending it hadn't happened. Tidus watched the other students.

"Gippal, you're not trying on purpose!" Rikku accused, as Gippal dragged his feet. Rikku sighed with frustration. He wasn't really talking to her, anyway, but he still showed up for class.

"I can't flunk this class and neither can you," she reminded him. Without looking at her, he picked his feet up a bit. They really needed to talk.

"Gippal, we really need to talk," Rikku said, trying to catch his eye. He wore a patch over his right eye because of a blitzball incident years ago. His good green eye looked at her, finally.

She swallowed. "We have to talk," she repeated.

"What's there to talk about? If your own girl doesn't believe in you, then…what are you supposed to do, you know?"

Rikku didn't want to lie to him. She believed in him…it was his singing she didn't believe in. Gippal turned her in time to the music. Mr. Isaaru watched them. They had come a long way. In fact, they were the best duo he had right now. He was impressed.

Wakka paused to watch them also, noticing how they seemed so in sync with each other. "Wakka, give me your hand," Lulu said. He put his right hand out while still watching the pair. His hand touched something incredibly soft. "Wakka!"

"I'm sorry," he said, turning his full attention to Lulu. She missed his secret smile at having touched her breast.

"Finally gonna be eighteen, ya," he told her as they began.

"When's your birthday?"

"Friday. I would have a party, but my uncle's still pissed at me, ya."

Lulu didn't say anything. She knew some of the Abes had been busted at the Omega Room.

"So, I hear Yuna's got the flu. You better not get too close, ya," Wakka said, as he moved left.

"I've already had my shot. Seymour's sick, though."

Wakka stifled a laugh and then he hesitated. He knew the part for the dip was coming up soon, and he and Lulu hadn't been able to perfect it. She held her breath also. He dipped her low, praying to Yevon that he didn't lose his balance again. He didn't and pulled her up slowly, his eyes unable to move away from her ample bosom.

She finally smiled at him. "We got it right. It's unbelievable."

"I know, ya. Maybe we can pass after all."

"If you didn't have that headband on, you could watch where you're going," Paine complaiined. Baralai's yellow headband was so low, he could hardly see. He didn't want anyone to see his stitches, though. He looked over at Tidus on the bleachers and smiled at his black eye. It was too bad Yuna had the flu. He would miss her this week. They hadn't spent nearly enough time together yet. He had to have her bagged by prom. Paine reached over and pulled his headband off.

"What the hell?" he complained.

Her scarlet eyes bulged at his stitches. "This is what you're hiding? It's nothing."

"I wasn't hiding it. My forehead's cold," said Baralai, putting the headband back on, but in its usual position.

"It's a good thing you're hanging out with me on Saturday. I don't feel like collecting chocobo eggs," he said, putting his hand on her waist and raising his free hand.

Paine glowered. "A lot of people aren't rich, Baralai. We need that farm to support us," she said, grabbing his hand tightly. He winced.

* * *

On Friday night, Auron relented and allowed Wakka to invite a few of his buddies over for a sleepover. It had begun a light snow. If it hadn't been his birthday, Auron would have said hell no.

"I don't understand women. One minute they act like they like you, and the next, you're shit," Datto complained, sitting on the living room floor against the plaid couch.

"You got your eye on somebody, Datto?" Wakka asked, from the sofa. All of the guys were in thick pajamas. It was almost eleven. Datto gave Wakka a pointed stare. Wakka looked over at Tidus and nodded. _Oh, yeah._

"It's the same with all of them. They all just need a good fuck, if you ask me," Botta said, clipping his toenails.

"So, why aren't you giving it to them?" Tidus asked, with a mischievous smile.

Botta sighed. "I'm trying to. Maybe I ought to try my moves out on the junior girls."

Jassu grimaced. "That's desperate, man."

"They're only a year younger," argued Botta.

"So, you guys wanna watch a movie or something, ya?" Wakka asked, deliberately changing the subject. If the Abes kept talking about sex, somebody was going to let the bet slip out. From what he could tell, Tidus seemed like a cool guy, but he wasn't ready to tell him about it yet.

"Yeah. Horror," said Keepa.

"Forget that. Where's the porn?" Letty asked.

Wakka grimaced. He liked porn as much as the next horny teenage guy, but he felt uncomfortable watching it with a room full of dudes.

"Forget that shit, man. If Auron catches us, I'll be grounded for another week, ya," Wakka complained.

"Then let's go up to your room," suggested Letty. Wakka hesitated. Going up to his room was a hell of a lot better than being down the hall from Auron.

"Okay," he finally agreed.

Tidus grabbed the six pack of soda, and Keepa picked up the big bowl of chips. Wakka closed his door tightly and locked it. The Abes got comfortable on the floor. Wakka had deliberately left Baralai out because he didn't want another fight tonight. Especially on his birthday. He walked to his closet, and reached all the way in the back on the floor.

"Hey, Tidus, do you think you could show me that move sometime?" Datto asked.

Tidus scratched his head. "Heh. Sure."

"Okay, boys, get ready," Wakka said, putting the movie in. The room got silent all of a sudden as two women scantily dressed came into view. Keepa raised an eyebrow. Not one word was said, as the women began to undress each other. A blizzard could have been going on outside and they wouldn't have noticed.

"Ooh, she's got some nice ones," said Letty.

"Go ahead and kiss her," Jassu muttered. As things started to seriously heat up on the screen, not a pair of eyes even blinked.

"So, this is what you came upstairs for," they heard a deep voice say from the doorway. Auron stood there, holding a key. He looked at the seven boys in amusement. They all wore the same expression: slightly embarrassed, scared, and horny. He chuckled as Wakka quickly tried to turn it off.

"Finish watching your porn. And then, each of you, be a man and go out and bed a real woman," he said, closing the door. Seven pairs of lips were open in shock. The door closed again.

"Your uncle scares the shit out of me," Botta said.

"Me too, ya."

Soon Auron's presence was forgotten as the two women devoured each other.

"Turn it off. I can't take it anymore," said Keepa. The others agreed.

"Let's watch some horror, something where somebody's guts are getting ripped out," Datto said, his face as red as the others, perspiration on his brow.

* * *

"Well, here goes nothing, huh?" Paine asked, as she pulled her small black jacket closer to her body. Talynda nodded. They walked slowly up the short steps to the front door of the townhouse. Talynda tapped the brass knocker. Paine looked and her and smirked. Then, she pressed the doorbell. The door was thrust open by Rikku.

"Hi, guys! Come on in!" she beckoned, opening the door wider for their entrance. Paine looked over the nice furniture in the hallway.

"This is nice," she said, removing her jacket. Rikku took it and Talynda's and placed them on the coat rack.

"Is this a good idea, Rikku? I mean, isn't Yuna sick?" Talynda asked.

"She's fine. A night with the girls is exactly what she needs." They followed Rikku into the living room. "Look who's here," Rikku announced, resuming her position in the recliner.

"Hi, guys," Paine said, obviously a little uncomfortable. In fact, she didn't know why she let Talynda talk her into it. Sleepovers were not her thing.

"Hey, everybody. This is Talynda," Paine said, sitting down on the ottoman. Talynda waved and sat down next to Lulu on the plushy velvet blue couch. Yuna was stretched out on the sofa, with a blanket. _Talynda? That's right. The dance_, Yuna thought.

"Well, girls, don't be shy. Help yourself," Lulu said, gesturing towards the junk filled coffee table. Paine grabbed a soda.

"You guys should go put your pajamas on," Rikku advised, wearing a pink pair with rabbits.

"The bathroom is the first door on the right," Yuna said.

"How are you? I'm not going to get sick, am I?" Paine asked.

"I'm fine. The worst is over."

Paine picked up her small overnight bag and Talynda followed her out into the hall again.

"Do you know that girl, Rikku?" Yuna asked.

Rikku gave her a look. "Yuna, just because I'm Al Bhed, doesn't mean I know ALL Al Bheds."

Yuna smiled. "I know that."

"Where's Braska, anyway?"

"He had a business meeting in Bevelle. He won't be home until Sunday."

"I guess I can bug you all weekend then. Gippal still isn't talking to me," Rikku complained.

"Oh, no. You have to spend three hours with him tomorrow," Lulu reminded her, in her red silk pajamas.

Rikku pouted, and adjusted her ponytail. "He's being unreasonable. When I ask him if I look good in an outfit, I expect the truth, even if I won't like it."

"I bet he hasn't told you that you don't look good in anything yet," said Lulu.

Rikku giggled. "So, the guy's got great taste, and he knows I'd smack him."

Yuna coughed. She hated being sick. Where had she gotten the flu from anyhow? Paine and Talynda returned. Talynda in modest baby blue pajamas and Paine in a baggy black pair of pajama bottoms and a black tank top.

"So, how's the dancing with Baralai going?" Yuna asked.

Paine immediately scowled. "That guy is a real jerk. If he could get over himself, we could make some progress. I'll be lucky to get a C."

"Is it that bad?" Talynda asked.

"It wouldn't be if he just did what I told him."

"Maybe you guys need to compromise," Lulu suggested.

"I used threats," Paine shrugged.

"That's not what I meant."

"So, I take it to mean that you and Wakka are improving?" Yuna asked, reaching for a tissue. Lulu smiled a little.

"Yeah. He's finally getting it."

"That's good to know."

"I like Wakka. That guy looks fantastic with his shirt off," Talynda said, her cheeks red. They all turned to her.

"And when did you see him with his shirt off?" Rikku asked. Talynda looked down, her cheeks burning.

"Never mind," Lulu said, irritated for reasons she couldn't explain.

"I saw you at the dance with Tidus," Paine said.

Talynda shrugged. "I asked him because Wakka already had a date. He's cute, too, so it worked out."

Lulu excused herself to go the bathroom. Why was this girl irritating her? It's not like she really cared about Wakka, anyway. She had a boyfriend.

"Maybe you should hook up with Tidus, then," Paine said. Yuna bolted up.

"Maybe she shouldn't," she said quickly.

Paine raised an eyebrow in her direction. "And why not, Yuna?"

"Because…he told me he already has a girlfriend," Yuna said, searching desperately. For some reason, she wasn't ready to announce her feelings for Tidus yet. Mostly because he was in denial. She knew for certain that he was going to kiss her back two weeks ago. But then, again, maybe he really didn't give a damn. He hadn't come by to see her after all. All of the Abes had brought her soup.

"Hey, I heard Baralai and Tidus got into a fight after the game Thursday night," Talynda said.

Yuna sat up. "What? What were they fighting about?"

Talynda shrugged. "I don't know."

"So, that's what happened to Baralai's eye," Paine said.

"What happened to Baralai's eye?" Yuna asked.

"He's got a few stitches, and Tidus has a nice black one."

Yuna frowned. She didn't like to think of Tidus' gorgeous face damaged. And maybe that was why he hadn't come by. She hadn't noticed anything different about Baralai, except his headband was pulled really low. She looked at the clock. It was eight thirty. She wanted to call Braska before it got too late to check on him.

Lulu came back and got back on the couch. She reached for a brownie.

"Do you know why Baralai and TIdus were fighting?" Yuna asked.

"I bet Gippal knows, but he's not talking to me!" Rikku complained.

"I think Baralai is upset because Tidus scored the last two goals," Lulu said, because she had been in attendance with Seymour.

"Oh, is that all?" Yuna shrugged.

"I know. At least they won," Talynda said. Yuna excused herself and walked slowly out to the hall. She picked up her cell phone and dialed Braska's number.

"Hi, there, Yuna, "he greeted in his normal voice.

"Hi. How are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm fine. The meeting went well today. Are you okay there by yourself?"

"Yes. Rikku's here."

"That's good, honey. No boys, though."

"No problem. I have to go to Tidus' house tomorrow."

"Are you feeling up to that?"

"Not really."

"Maybe you should tell him to come to the house then. Only him. I know you have to do your schoolwork. What is this, anyway? Some kind of social experiment?"

"I think so. Mr. Isaaru wants us to get along better because we're dance partners."

"That's a good idea. Well, listen, honey, I'm going down to the hotel's…lobby with some of my business friends."

"Okay, Father. Just take care of yourself, ok?"

"Sure, honey. Bye."

"Bye." Yuna returned to the living room. Someone had turned on the news and they were showing recaps of the Abes game. She settled back down on the sofa.

"Yeah, this new player Tidus seems like he's going to be one to watch," the sports caster said, as they showed a replay of Tidus' winning move.

"Isn't he amazing?" Yuna said, not realizing she'd said that aloud. Lulu gave her an amused look. Yuna in love? Yuna the tease? Yuna, her friend who vowed she'd never be a victim of cupid's arrow. Paine's cell phone began to ring.

She grimaced. "It's Baralai. Where the hell did he get my number?" she grumbled, standing up and walking out to the hall. Talynda avoided her gaze. Baralai had cornered her in the school hall and asked.

"The Psyches have a big came coming up against the Kilika Beasts. Do you think Gippal is going to be ready?" Lulu asked. Rikku sighed. She sure hoped so. Her Dad wasn't going to be pleased if Gippal didn't come out of his slump.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch.4 I Apologize

Wakka put his razor down and wiped his face clean. Lulu was on her way over and he wanted to make sure he was ready to practice. They only had six weeks left until the semester ended, and Mr. Isaaru was going to expect them to perfect the twenty-five minute dance routine. He headed downstairs. Auron was already gone to the restaurant for the day. It was almost three in the afternoon. He lifted his arm to ensure that his deodorant, Tonberry Musk, was still intact. Satisfied, he walked over to the hall mirror to check his appearance. He heard a knock on the door. He walked over and swung it open.

"Hi, Wakka," greeted Lulu, holding a paper bag carefully with both hands.

"Hi. Come on in." He closed the door, his eyes suspiciously on that bag. "Let me help you with that, ya," he said, reaching for the bag.

"I've got it," she said, setting it down carefully on the oak coffee table.

She took off her long red coat and handed it to him. He put it in the hall closet. "So, what's in the bag?" he asked, his curiosity unable to hold out much longer.

"It's a surprise for you."

"Wow, really?"

She nodded, and straightened her red sweater. There was a pattern of white and black checks across the front. Incidentally, Wakka was wearing red today, too. A red t-shirt and long, black shorts. His feet were bare.

"Wakka, it's freezing out. Why are you in shorts?" Lulu asked, reaching for the bag.

"It's warm in here, and I hate pants, ya."

"Well, you're going to catch cold."

"I can handle it…" he trailed off, as a small cake came into view. He stared at it. It was decorated in white icing, with a blue and yellow blitzball on top.

"What's this?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise.

"Well, I remembered that you said yesterday was your birthday, so…" she shrugged. Wakka couldn't believe it. She had remembered his birthday? And even baked him a cake?

"Lulu, you didn't really have to…but thanks, ya…"

"I didn't. My mother made it."

"Tell her thanks."

"I will. Come on and blow out the candles," she said, placing small red candles into the cake. When she had counted out eighteen, she stopped. Wakka came over to the coffee table and kneeled in front of the cake. He was slightly embarrassed. This was the nicest thing anyone had done for him in a long time.

Lulu lit the candles and waited. Wakka looked at her and closed his eyes. Making a wish he hoped would come true, he blew them all out. Lulu clapped. "Great. Do you want a piece now or after practice?"

"Let's get it later, ya. After all of that dancing, we'll be hungry."

Lulu nodded. "Okay, then. Let's get started."

* * *

Paine couldn't believe it. Why the hell had she agreed to this? She liked to go out like most girls her age, but…not with him. Baralai moved through the crowded night club. He had suggested the club, thinking it would be a nice distraction during his three hours with Paine. They wouldn't be able to practice their required dancing, but…Mr. Isaaru hadn't said that they had to. Baralai made his way to an empty booth and sat down. Paine slid onto the cool leather.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked.

"Of course."

He waited until a waiter came over. He was going to do his best to be civil with this girl. The dancing was going horribly, as it was. Baralai slid out of his jacket and waited. His hands thumped the table to the beat of the music.

"Do you come here a lot?" Paine asked. It looked like it might be one of the Abes spots. She looked at the crowd of happy young people bouncing around to the music. What a bunch of idiots.

"Yeah. The Abes get special treatment here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, taking out a pack of Zu's and putting them on the table. She tapped the packet, shaking one out and putting it in her mouth. She patted her jacket pockets for her lighter. Where the hell was it?

"Light?" Baralai asked, holding his lighter toward her. She grabbed it out of his hand and lit her cigarette.

"The Abes can get pretty much anything we want to drink here," he said, lighting his own cigarette.

She exhaled. "Whiskey?"

"You bet. Oh, and you're into the hard stuff?" he asked, pulling the glass ashtray between them.

"I've had a few," she admitted. Though Red Fireball was the one she was not going to have again. It was instant insanity.

A waiter came over. "Hi, Baralai. What can I get you?" he asked, enthusiastically.

"For me, a blue dragon. What about you, Paine?"

"I'll…have what he's having." Baralai's eyes widened.

"That's not a drink for pussies," he warned her.

"Then, why are you drinking it?" she countered. The waiter walked off to retrieve their orders.

Baralai inhaled deeply and decided not to answer. He wasn't going to let her bait him tonight.

"Want to dance?" he asked, pushing up the sleeves of his black hoodie.

"With you? Are you nuts?"

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, getting up and pulling her out of the booth.

The truth was…Paine was a little self-conscious about letting loose in public. In the privacy of her own bedroom, sure, no problem. She put her jacket in the booth and let him pull her on the dance floor.

They began, with enough space between the two of them for three Abes. Baralai let the music take him. He was desperately trying to ignore the fact that he was even here with Paine. His eyes scanned several attractive girls. _I could have bedded all of them tonight, _he thought bitterly. He turned back to Paine. What the hell was she doing?

"What are you doing?" he called to her.

"I'm dancing," she replied, though her body was hardly moving.

He stepped up to her. "Seriously, what the hell are you doing? Just let loose."

"Look, I'm not used to looking like a damn fool in public places."

"You _really _look like a fool doing that." Paine gritted her teeth, and resisted her urge to injure his other eye. His black headband barely covered his stitches. She was wearing skin tight black jeans and a tight black sweater. She noticed the waiter had put their drinks on the table. "I need a drink," she called to him, and headed to the table. She picked up the blue liquid and raised it to her lips. She almost gagged.

"Good, huh?" asked Baralai, raising his own. He let the acid tasting liquid flow down his throat, his eyes never leaving hers. She nodded in silence duel. Her scarlet eyes fixed his, and she kept the glass to her lips. They both refused to stop drinking. Baralai's hand clenched into a fist. He was dying to bring the glass from his lips. Paine's gag reflex was working overtime. Baralai swallowed the last of the liquid, and slammed the glass on the table. He turned to Paine with a victorious smile. She finished her own, slammed her glass on the table, and gave him a shove.

He laughed. "What's the matter? Want to throw up?"

Paine held her head. She really did. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Rikku kept her eyes on the wide screen television and fidgeted uncomfortably. She'd only been at the Hawthorne's home for twenty minutes, and the silence was driving her mad. Gippal sat on the carpeted floor, painting a small race car. He never took his eye of it, as the small paint brush he held glided along. He was painting it for his little brother, Kyriako. Rikku cleared her throat.

"That's coming along pretty good, Gippal," she said. His brow furrowed, but he kept his attention on the car he was holding. She sighed. She was tired of this already.

"GIPPAL!" she shrieked suddenly, causing him to jump, the paint spreading on his hand.

"What?" he asked, putting the car down on paper carefully, and using a rag to wipe his hand.

"We can't go on like this."

"You're right," he agreed. Just then, his mother, Lakkam, came into the room, with a tray laden with cinnamon rolls and coffee.

"Here you go, kids. It's freezing out there today. I'm surprised you made over, Rikku," she said, pausing to look at the young Al Bhed girl.

Rikku shrugged.

Lakkam smiled. "Anything to see Gippal, huh? And I bet he's not being appreciative, is he?"

"He sure isn't."

"Thanks, Mom," Gippal said, in a slightly annoyed tone. Lakkam got the hint and left.

"Gippal, please. Can we just get over this already?" pleaded Rikku.

Gippal looked at her pleading green eyes. He sighed. He was a sucker for a cute girl. "Rik, you hurt me. You know how important my music is to me. Even if you don't really think I can make it, hell, lie to me. Encourage me, anyway. I need that from my girl." Rikku nodded. Anything as long as he was speaking to her again. These past two weeks had been torture. She squatted next to him on the floor and threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Gippal, thank goodness. I don't know what I'd do if you wanted to break up, you know?" He nodded and gave her a gentle squeeze back.

"I know. But, Rik, it's time for me to be honest with you." Rikku reached for a cinnamon roll and tore off a piece.

"Sure, you can tell me anything," she said, popping the piece of sweet pastry in her mouth.

"I think it's time we took our relationship to another level."

Rikku choked. "What?"

"You heard me. My extension needs some attention." And he wasn't kidding. He liked Rikku more than any girl he had ever dated, but if she wasn't ready to share a closer relationship, he wasn't sure he could stay completely committed. He knew that made him seem like a jerk, but his body didn't give a damn.

Rikku put the cinnamon roll down slowly. She knew Gippal was going to bring this subject up again. But in his defense, he hadn't been pressuring her. He'd been the perfect gentleman these past four months. And even she had to admit that she wanted to be with him. She had dated Gatta previously and he had dumped her for not wanting to be intimate. But, Gippal was different. He made it clear that wasn't all he wanted from her.

"I know, Gippal."

"And?"

She hesitated again. She couldn't help being afraid that once they were intimate, he'd break up with her and move on to the next girl.

"What's the matter, Rik? Don't you want me?" he asked seriously. If his girl wasn't hot for his body, and wanted to rip his clothes off, he was going to go insane.

She looked at his handsome face. She couldn't deny it. "Of course, I do," she admitted.

He smiled. "Alright. So, then, let's get on with it."

"Gippal. Can I be honest with you?"

"Yeah. About anything. What's up?"

"What's going to happen to us afterwards?"

"Hopefully, we'll fall into an exhausted sleep," he smiled.

"That's not what I meant. I meant…our relationship…"

"Oh." What was she thinking? Did she think he would…Oh, yeah. The Gatta incident. He reached and pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Rik. I wouldn't do that. You're my girl. Besides, a rock star needs his lady beside him."

She frowned. "Actually, rock stars don't have ladies, they have a lot of groupies."

He laughed. "Not me. Listen. Seriously, it's you and me until you kick me out, okay?"

* * *

Tidus peered at his eye in his bathroom mirror. Even he had to admit that it looked horrible. He wasn't really sure why Baralai had attacked him over something as stupid as making a play. What was he supposed to do? Stand there and pretend he'd never held a blitzball before in his life? He walked back inside his bedroom and looked at his bed. He really needed to move it if he wanted to get a peaceful night's sleep. But, the room didn't really allow much space for him to rearrange his furniture. He sighed and picked up his black hoodie. He put it on as he made his way down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Jecht asked, sitting on an exercise bike.

"I have to go over to Yuna's. She's sick, so her father doesn't want her out in the weather yet."

"Should you be hanging out with a chick? Even a sick one?" Jecht asked, wiping his forehead with a towel. The exercise bike was positioned in front of the wide screen television. Tidus stood in the doorway without replying.

"I told you, it's for my music class."

"Yeah, that's what you told me. What have you told Darcy?"

Tidus rolled his eyes. He'd told Darcy about it, and she blew up as he had expected her to. They'd had a big fight over the phone, and that was the reason he hadn't gone to Luca yet. He remembered hearing that absence made the heart grow fonder, but it wasn't working in this case. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in almost three months. Jecht noticed his silence and turned to his son.

"Are you two fighting again?"

"Yeah, Dad. She's so jealous. I can't do anything."

"I hate jealous women. It's a big turnoff. Your mother used to be jealous."

"Don't." He was not in the mood to hear him complaining about his mother today. The woman was dead. He wanted her to rest in peace. "I have to go," he said, turning to leave.

"Wait. So, tell me. This girl, Yuna, is she cute?" Tidus felt his neck redden. Why did he want to know about Yuna? Jecht noticed his son reddening and chuckled to himself. The sly dog.

"She's okay," Tidus relented, avoiding Jecht's dark eyes. He turned and practically ran down the hall and out the front door. He forgot his plastic bowl and went back inside to quickly retrieve it. The cold September air whipped through his blond locks as he started toward his car, thinking about the fight he'd had with Darcy.

"_I can't help it, Darcy. It's an assignment. What am I supposed to tell Mr. Isaaru? I can't do it because my girlfriend's jealous?" _

"_Damn right I'm jealous. I haven't seen you since the end of June. I miss you. I want you. This girl, is she pretty?" _

"_No, hideous," he lied. _

_Darcy laughed. "That's good to know. Anyway, why am I even mad, you love me, don't you?" _

_It took him an eternity to answer. "Don't you?" she demanded. _

"_I…um…" His hesitation had pissed her off. He'd never told her it before anyway. _

"_You just go ahead and sleep with the girl then!"_

_He'd lost his temper. "I will if I feel like it!" _

"_I thought you said she was hideous, and now you'd sleep with her? Stop lying to me!"_

"_I'm not lying. I haven't done anything since I've been here, and you don't believe me." _

"_Why should I believe you? You enjoy the attention from girls. You always have." _

"_I can't help it if girls like me." _

"_Yeah, and you had to get on the team there, too! Those are the worst kind of groupies! Blitzball groupies!" _

"_Yeah, well, that's how I met you!"_

"_What? I can't believe you said that!"_

"_Bickson told me you kept bugging him for my number." _

"_You know what, Tidus? Just do whatever you want," she said, hanging up on him. _

He drove through the city towards Yuna's house with these thoughts still lingering in his mind. What was he going to do about Darcy? He couldn't handle her insane jealousy. He'd done good by her, and except for the dance, he hadn't gone out with another girl. But, she was right, too. He had enjoyed all of the attention that girls had given him. If Darcy knew just how much he had enjoyed it, she'd probably hire a hitman to kill him. He paused. Maybe she did know. So, why hadn't she broken up with him? He shook his head to clear it. He pulled up in front of Yuna's townhouse, noticing that her father's car wasn't parked in the driveway. He figured she kept her jeep in the garage. He got out, and picked up his bowl. Pausing to check his appearance once more in the rearview mirror, he made his way up the walkway.

He pressed the doorbell and waited. The door swung open and Yuna greeted him. Even he had to admit that she looked sick. She was wearing her pajamas under a purple bathrobe. Her hair was pulled up in its customary ponytail, as if she'd made an attempt to try to do something about her appearance. There were several circles under her eyes. She coughed.

"Hey. Are you sure you feel up to this?" he asked. She looked up at him, her mouth opening in shock.

"What happened to your eye?" she asked.

"I don't know…I guess I wanted to try out a new look…see what it would look like after a fist's been smashed in it, you know."

She smiled a little. Despite the awful black eye, he still looked good enough to make her heart pitter patter. She stepped back and let him enter; eying the white liquid in the container he was holding.

She closed the door and turned to him. He held the container out. "Its soup," he explained and she tried not to smile.

"Did you make it?"

"What? Me? No. I got it from the restaurant. It's one of Auron's specialties."

"Thank you," she said, walking down the hallway to the kitchen. He followed. She loved the potato and bacon soup that The Tornado served. It was her favorite. "I'll eat it later," she promised him, opening the fridge. His eyes bulged when he saw that most of the bottom shelf held many containers, most of which looked suspiciously like soup. _Tidus, you're an idiot. Of course she'd already have soup. _

She gave him an apologetic smile. "I've been getting a lot of soup this week."

"I noticed."

"But, none of it is potato and bacon." Actually, she wasn't sure what most of it was. Various members of the Abes had given it to her.

"Let's go in the living room," she said, leading him back down the hall to the living room. She sat in the recliner and he sat on the ottoman.

"I saw your game on the television the other night. You were really good," she told him, giving him a genuine smile.

"Really?" he asked with a smile. He'd been praised many times before, but hearing it from her somehow made it better. What's the matter with me? He asked himself.

"Yeah. I would have come to the game, but I was spending Thursday night in…" she paused, too embarrassed to continue.

He nodded. "Right. Got it. You had a date with a bucket."

Yuna looked at him. He wasn't far off. It hadn't been a bucket, but the toilet. She couldn't keep anything down. "So, how did you really get that black eye?" she asked.

"How come I have the feeling you already know?"

"I want to hear it from you. Please."

"Okay. I got into a fight with Baralai," he said, confirming what she already knew.

She nodded. "Yeah, that's what I heard." She didn't mention that she was a little bit disappointed in Baralai. She knew he'd started that fight. It was early, around two in the afternoon. Yuna was surprised that she was feeling a lot better since he'd showed up.

"Where's your Dad?" he asked.

"He's in Bevelle. He had a business meeting."

"Is he going to be okay?" he asked with concern.

"Yes. He'll be home tomorrow morning. We're supposed to have breakfast together."

"That's really nice. Speaking of eating, I'm hungry." He had been so preoccupied with fighting with Darcy that he'd skipped lunch. Yuna suddenly got an idea.

"Well, as you've seen, I don't have much of anything here but soup. Would you like to go out?"

"I thought you didn't want to go out in the weather."

"I'm fine," she insisted. Tidus shrugged. She seemed fine to him as well.

"I'll go get ready," she said, smiling to herself how she had tricked him into an "almost" date. She was almost giddy as she changed into a thick tan colored sweater. She pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed her boots. She rushed into her bathroom and applied some light makeup to her pale cheeks and lips. She grabbed her phone and rushed back out to the living room. Tidus stood up.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Sure, let's go." She slipped into her thick white coat and he put his coat back on as well. They headed out into the cold to his car. He opened the passenger door for her, and she slipped inside. He got behind the wheel and drove off.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch.5 Night at the Theater

"Where are we going?" he asked her. He was sure she knew the best places to go to eat. And as long as she didn't say The Tornado, he would be fine with it.

"Let's go to O'aka's Pizzeria. Do you know where that is?" He shook his head and listened as she directed him toward East Zanarkand.

"You should really let me show you the city. I bet no one's given you a decent tour," she said, hoping he'd fall for her bait again.

"Actually, Wakka did. We just didn't go to East Zanarkand."

She frowned. Damn Wakka. She directed Tidus to make a left, and soon enough, they were in the crowded parking lot of O'aka's.

"This place looks crowded," he said, getting out. He walked around and opened her door for her.

"It's always crowded. It's a popular place for the high school crowd."

They made their way into the crowded restaurant. Leblanc, the hostess, greeted them.

"Hello, loves. Welcome to O'aka's. If you're lucky, I might find a booth for you." She left them at the podium for a moment. Tidus turned to Yuna.

"Is the pizza here really that good?"

She nodded. "Yes, it is. And the pasta, too."

LeBlanc returned. "Good news, loves. I've got a table for you. Follow me," she said, and they followed her through the crowded noisy restaurant. She seated them at a table in the corner.

"I'm starving," Tidus said, removing his coat and looking down at a menu on the table. Yuna removed her coat.

"So, should we split a pizza then?" she asked.

"I thought you were eating your soup," he reminded her.

"I am going to eat it. I can't resist the pizza here," she said, leaning on the table and looking down at her own menu.

"You better eat it. I could get fired. I stole it," he said, his blue eyes sparkling mischievously up at her. She looked up at him. He was joking, right? They stared at each other for a moment, and then broke into a fit of laughter.

"Hello. Me Biran. Take order," they heard, and both looked up at the giant Ronso with canary yellow hair and bulging biceps that strained against his work shirt.

"Take order," he repeated.

"Um…Yuna…what do you like on your pizza?" Tidus asked.

She looked up at Biran. "We'll have a large pizza with red peppers, mushrooms, and behemoth meat."

Tidus frowned. "I hate behemoth. It's too salty. Let's get pepperoni and olives."

"I hate olives."

"Chocobo and onions?"

"I hate onions. Squid and green peppers?"

"I hate squid."

They stared fiercely at each other.

"Take order or leave," Biran warned.

"Extra cheese," they said in unison. They laughed.

"Extra cheese with two strawberry blast sodas," Yuna said. Biran left.

"You almost got my head bit off," Tidus said.

"Ronso don't bite heads off. They might do some castration though," she told him. He involuntary squeezed his knees together. He couldn't believe he was having such a good time. He needed this. He hadn't really had any fun since he'd gotten to Zanarkand. Well, hanging out with the Abes was always fun.

"And what do they do to women then?" he asked.

Yuna shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't want to find out, either," she laughed, sitting her purse on the table. She took out her pack of Zu's and put them on the table.

"You smoke? Wow. Smoking's bad for you," he warned.

She had a devilish glint in her eyes. "And who says I do everything that's good for me?"

Such a simple question. In fact, she was repeating a retort he'd given her, but it sent an unexpected rush of heat down his spine. That, and he found his company to be exciting, cute, and sexy.

"Hey, Yuna. What are you doing here?" Botta asked, pausing by their table. They both looked up at him.

"Just felt like eating pizza," she said easily. He noticed Tidus.

"Hey, man. You guys aren't on a date, are you? Oh, that's right. It's Saturday. Required time together," he nodded. It was open knowledge to all the Abes that several members had to spend a few hours on every other Saturday with their dance partners.

"What's up, Botta?" Tidus asked, really hoping he'd go away. He liked Botta, but he didn't feel like keeping him company right now.

Botta leaned on the table. "Hey, Yuna, since you're feeling better…how about that date tonight?"

Yuna glanced at Tidus. He remained expressionless and her heart sank. She was hoping to at least see agitation on his face. But, he didn't care.

She smiled up at Botta. "I'd love to. Pick me up at eight?"

Botta returned her smile. "You betcha. Take it easy, Tidus," he said, heading off.

Yuna excused herself to go to the bathroom. Tidus didn't reply. He couldn't believe it! She had the nerve to accept a date from another guy while he was sitting right there? _She just couldn't quit flirting! She acted like she liked him, but all along, she was still dating other guys. She's not going to fool me again,_ he vowed.

* * *

The next two weeks were tense. The Zanarkand snow that had been threatening to fall finally began. It was early October. Wakka sat on the bench in the Abes locker room, a towel around his waist. They had lost the game tonight. This was the last game of the season. The Abes were depressed. Wakka knew they could have won if Tidus had attempted to score, but he seemed distracted. He watched Tidus drip over to the bench, a towel swathed about his slim hips. "Hey, man," he greeted. Tidus grunted in reply. The other Abes were still in the shower.

"So, what's going on, ya?" Wakka asked. He was seriously concerned. He knew that TIdus loved blitzball as much as he did. Tidus turned to him and looked around.

"Not out here. In the sauna."

Wakka agreed. Coach Luzzu denied the Abes nothing as long as they kept bringing the cups home. Last year, Baralai had demanded that a sauna be put in their locker room, and the coach had obliged. Baralai hadn't played an exceptionally great game tonight himself. The Abes were distracted and Wakka wanted to get to the bottom of some of it.

As soon as he sat on the sauna's bench, he turned to Tidus. "Okay, brudda. What's troubling you?"

Tidus sighed. He really needed someone to talk to. "I'm having girl problems."

Wakka grinned. Was that all? The only girl problems he had involved whether he should keep his shoes on or off. But, he had some sympathy.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm fighting with my girlfriend."

"The girl in Luca, ya? You sure this long distance thing is going to work out?"

"It's not working. I'm suffering from lack of female companionship, if you know what I mean."

"No. Oh."

"Yeah, and Darcy's pissed with me, and then Yuna…" he trailed off, wiping sweat from his brow. Why the hell had he suggested coming in here? Now he'd have to shower again.

Wakka's ears perked up. "Yuna? What about her?"

Tidus sighed. "I don't know. She's playing with me. One minute, she acts like she likes me, and then the next, she's going out on a date with some guy, and…"

"So…you like her." He didn't ask, he said it as a statement. Tidus fidgeted with his towel.

"Is this right? I have a girlfriend. How can I like another girl?"

Wakka was still reeling from this information. This wasn't good. But, if Tidus really liked Yuna, and it seemed as though he did, he was going to have to stop the bet.

"So, why don't you tell your girlfriend that you've met somebody else, ya?"

"I am. But, I don't want to do that if Yuna keeps playing games with me."

"How are you going to find out if she's for real? Yuna likes to play games, I know, ya."

"I have my own way of finding out. I'm going to go shower again. Thanks, Wakka."

Wakka was certain that Tidus wouldn't be thanking him if he knew about the bet that was in place. He walked to the sauna's door and watched Tidus head into the shower area. He strolled the lockers, looking for his teammates. They were getting dressed on the benches.

"Hey, listen up. The bet's off, ya," he announced. They all stared at him.

"What? Why?" Botta asked.

"It's just got to be this way, okay?"

"Wait a minute, Wakka. Don't you think we deserve some kind of explanation?" Baralai asled, pulling a t-shirt over his head.

Wakka didn't have one for him. He wasn't going to tell them what Tidus had told him in confidence. He shook his head. "I just don't feel right about it, ya."

He walked to his locker to finish getting dressed.

"Bullshit, Wakka. You know something," Jassu accused.

"I don't know nothing. I just know it's off," he said, pulling on his jeans. The Abes were silent for the longest time, and then they started discussing what they were going to do later tonight.

Wakka finished dressing and decided to see if he could manage a date. He bid the Abes goodnight.

As soon as the blue double doors closed, Baralai turned to them. "Fuck Wakka. The bet's still on. I'm going to collect, too."

"But, there must be a reason why he said that," Datto said, who really didn't like going behind Wakka's back.

"Didn't you hear me say fuck him? I'm the captain of this team, and I say the bet's still on. Got it?"

Datto nodded slowly, though his mind had a hard time with it.

"I'm glad to hear it, Baralai. Because I'm going to prom with Yuna, so I'll be ready to collect the next morning," Letty said.

"Yuna's already accepted a date to the prom?" he asked incredulously.

"Nah. But, when I ask her, she'll accept."

They all pondered in silence for a few moments longer. Then, Keepa starting talking about a horror film he had seen. _The Return of the Marlboro._

They were silent suddenly when Tidus appeared and walked over to his locker. Datto slid over to him.

"Hey, Tidus, you wanna hang out tonight?" he asked.

"It's snowing, Datto."

"I know. I thought maybe we could finish that game we were playing," he said.

"Datto. I thought you were going to the movies with us," Baralai said.

"Yeah, but I really want to kick Tidus' ass in this game."

_I just want to kick his ass, period. Where was that hotshot tonight? He let us lose on purpose to make me look like a damn fool,_ Baralai thought.

Tidus finished dressing. "Ready?" he asked Datto.

"Yeah. See ya, guys."

"Bye, Datto, Tidus," called some of the Abes.

"Bye."

* * *

Rikku stretched lazily across the floor of Lulu's bedroom. Lulu had invited her and Yuna over to see the new paint in her bedroom. It was nice.

"So, what do you think?" Lulu asked, looking at them expectantly.

"It's nice," they both said in unison.

"Great. Now, I know it's bad," Lulu said, folding her arms.

Rikku laughed. "Lulu the paint is fine. So…um…I'm thinking about sleeping with Gippal, and I was wondering what I should wear. Do you think I'd look sexy in hot pink?"

Yuna and Lulu's eyes widened. "You're thinking about doing what?" Lulu asked. Was this really Rikku talking? For some reason, she had a hard time imagining her doing anything sexual. She just seemed too sweet and innocent.

"Sleeping with Gippal," she shrugged. Yuna's mouth was still hanging open.

"Rikku. Is this what you want? He's not pressuring you, is he?" she finally asked.

"Nope. He's been really good about it when you consider how long we've been going out. Gatta was on me within a week. Big meanie."

Lulu sat down on her bed and thought about this. "Well, if it's what the both of you really want, then I say okay."

"Lulu!" Yuna shrieked with surprise.

"What? She's old enough to decide for herself, Yuna. When Seymour and I came to that point in our relationship, it was what we both wanted."

"You and Seymour have done it?" Rikku asked gleefully.

Lulu shrugged. "Of course we have. We've been dating for two years."

"Wow. I guess I'm the only one not thinking about it," Yuna said.

Lulu looked at her skeptically. "Really, Yuna. Who do you think you're kidding? You're not physically attracted to Tidus?"

Yuna looked away. She wasn't going to tell Lulu how many nights she lay awake thinking about him, wishing he were there beside her. Wondering what it felt like to kiss him, even touch him besides dancing.

"Are you blushing, Yuna?" teased Rikku. Lulu's phone began to ring. She reached over and grabbed it.

"Hello."

"You're still at home? Lulu, the movie starts in twenty minutes. I hate missing the previews," Seymour said. She was supposed to meet him at the movies, but got caught up in girl chatter.

"I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Fine. Leave right now," he said, hanging up. She turned to the girls. "I have to get going. Yuna, can you give me a lift to the theater?"

"Sure."

* * *

"I hate when people come to the theater, and they are so rude. I hardly heard any of the dialogue," Seymour complained as he and Lulu entered the lobby of the theater again. She didn't say anything. She had heard the entire movie just fine. She knew of course, that he was referring to the Abes, who had happened to be sitting right behind them. Sure, they had joked around during the movie, but it was hardly anything to get all riled up about.

"Hey, Lulu," someone called. She and Seymour turned. Letty came over to them, trailed by the other Abes.

"Hey, Letty."

"That cake you made Wakka sure was delicious," he smiled.

"It was nothing," Lulu insisted.

"He really appreciated it. He said it was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for him on his birthday," Keepa said.

"Well, I'm glad he liked it," she assured them, while she felt very nervous. They bid her a goodnight, and continued on their way, Baralai leading them out. Suddenly, she felt a hand grasp her arm tightly.

"Seymour, please, not here," she begged. He didn't say anything as he escorted her out into the cold.

He walked hurriedly to this car and pushed her inside, slamming the door.

Lulu was terrified. She'd seen his temper many times before. He got behind the wheel, but he didn't start the car. His lavender blue eyes looked at her coldly.

"So, you baked Wakka a cake for his birthday. Why the hell would you do that?"

She swallowed and contemplated her answer for a moment. "Well, my mother baked it, really…"

"I'm sure you asked her to. But why?" he asked, placing his hand on her thigh. She used to love his long Guado hands, but now she trembled with fear.

"Don't have an answer, huh? Tell me, Lulu. Do you like Wakka? Are you attracted to him?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

"No. I was just being nice, that's all."

"I bet the next time you feel like being nice to him, you wind up naked." She felt her cheeks burn and turned to him angrily.

"I'm not that kind of girl!"

"Oh, I know what kind of girl you are. You like it rough. I'm going to be there on Saturdays from now on when he is."

"That's not necessary."

He slapped her hard across the face. "I'll decide what's necessary. Do you understand?"

She didn't answer. Her head was still reeling from the powerful blow to her cheek.

"I mean it, Lulu! You better not try to sneak and see him!" he yelled, his hand on her thigh squeezing tightly. She tried to ignore the pain. "You're my girl, dammit."

* * *

"So, it looks like all of you are doing very well. Who wants to go first during the recital?" Mr. Isaaru asked, holding a clipboard. Several pairs of nervous eyes looked at each other. Someone coughed.

"We'll go first," Gippal said, finally. He just wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

"We'll go next," Baralai said, certain that his fellow student body could laugh at him early and be done with it. He and Paine were still having problems with their timing.

"Us next," Wakka said as he looked at Lulu. He noticed that she had been very quiet this afternoon. He hoped he hadn't done anything wrong when they were finally acting friendly.

"I guess we'll be next," Letty said.

"Love, we should have been last, you know. Save the best for last," said LeBlanc. Letty didn't really believe they were the "best." They didn't suck, but certainly Gippal and Rikku could beat them.

Tidus let a few more students volunteer. "I guess we're last," he finally said to Mr. Isaaru.

Mr. Isaaru nodded. "I expect it to be a showstopper then."

Tidus swallowed. What the hell did that mean? He and Yuna had the routine down, but he wasn't sure if they could handle anything extra.

The end of semester recital was scheduled in the middle of December. Yuna looked at Tidus, and he avoided her gaze. He had been acting differently these past two weeks. She noticed that he had returned to his former shell, and was hardly speaking to her. She wondered why.

She watched him quietly gather his things. "So, um, have a good weekend," she told him. She wouldn't see him this weekend.

He turned to her. "You, too. I'm sure your weekend's all booked up, huh?"

"No. Not really. I don't really have many plans," she said, wondering if he wanted to hang out or something. He didn't say anything else.

"I'll see you, Monday, Yuna," he said, patting her shoulder and walking off. She stood there for a moment, wondering what was wrong again. She thought they were past the awkward stage by now.

"Hey, Lulu, have a good weekend, ya," Wakka said, squeezing her shoulder. She yelped in pain. Wakka's eyes widened. He hadn't realized he'd squeezed so hard.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"Oh, it's not you, Wakka. I forgot to tell you. I banged my shoulder against my doorframe yesterday."

"Hey, you gotta be more careful, ya."

"I will. I'll see you, Wakka," she said, hurrying away.

He hoped she didn't bang into anything else. He needed her in top condition to pass this class. He saw Yuna and Baralai chatting by the doors. He gritted his teeth. Baralai had better been just making casual conversation. Wakka had warned the Abes to back off. He wasn't sure what Tidus was up to, but the bet was definitely off. His cell phone rang.

He looked down at it and smiled to himself. Talynda. The cute Al Bhed girl that had been paying him a lot of attention lately. Well, she had good reason to. They had hooked up one night after meeting at a club downtown.

"Yeah. Wakka," he answered.

"Hi, Wakka. Got any plans for tonight?" she asked.

He smiled. "Nope. What's up?"

"Meet me at the Flaming Flare?"

* * *

Datto fidgeted in Tidus' passenger seat. He desperately wanted to talk to someone about the bet and what was going on, but Wakka had made him promise not to tell Tidus. He sighed. When did being a part of a blitz team become so complicated? It used to be fun.

"So, what are your plans for tonight?" Tidus asked.

"Oh, I've got a date with Calli Monroe."

Tidus frowned. "The girl that's Mr. Isaaru's assistant?"

"Yeah. So?" Tidus didn't say anything, but he'd heard that Mr. Isaaru was sleeping with her.

"Just be careful, okay? I've heard some things about her."

"Hopefully, good things," Datto smiled, adjusting his red headband in the rearview mirror. Tidus smiled weakly and pulled to a stop in front of Datto's home.

"Alright, man. I'll see you Monday," Datto said, climbing out.

"Okay. Be careful," he repeated. Datto waved and started across his lawn.

Tidus headed home, wondering how he would entertain himself on a Friday night. The blitz season was over. A light snow began to fall. He'd hoped he would be home before it started, but Datto had asked for a ride. He finally made it home, leaving his car slowly. He paused in the garage, and took out his phone. He debated. Should he call Yuna and ask her out tonight since he didn't have plans? Would she even go out with him, anyway?

"Hey. Good you're home. Come on in," Jecht beckoned from the kitchen door. Tidus started walking toward the door, his mind still debating. He closed the door and made a decision. He was going to call and ask her. His thumb dialed the number.

"Come on!" Jecht called impatiently from the living room. Tidus put the phone to his ear and made his way to the living room doorway. The phone rang. He froze. Darcy. Standing by the fireplace and smiling at him. "Hello, this is Yuna," he heard in his ear. Without thinking, he flipped the phone shut.

"Darcy, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"What do you think I'm doing her? I've come for a visit, silly. I've missed you," she said, coming over and wrapping her arms around his waist. The returned words froze in his throat. He looked at Jecht, who motioned for him to say something.

"I…um…it's good to see you," he said.

Jecht stared. _That's the best you could up with for your girl you haven't seen in three months? Geez._

Darcy looked up at him. "We have so much to catch up on," she said cheerfully, as if she hadn't hurled all of those ugly accusations at him. He looked her over. She looked the same: long black hair, slightly pale skin, and ebony eyes. She was about five feet tall, with a slender, small frame. Attractive to the eye, but so unattractive in attitude at times. He walked over to the white zebra striped couch and sat down. Jecht was a hunter. He'd wanted an animal theme for this room. There was an actual bear skinned rug in front of the fireplace. Tidus looked at Jecht, obviously wanting some privacy.

"I'll go see what Zalora's up to," he said, heading through the doorway.

Tidus turned back to Darcy. She slapped him. What the hell?

Before he could respond, she threw herself at him, her lips pressed against his. It took him a few minutes to break away, mostly because he remembered what it felt like to be kissed.

"What's the matter?" she asked. She looked through the open doorway.

"We shouldn't do this in here."

"You're right. Your Dad said I could stay here in your guest bedroom. We could get…re-acquainted later on tonight," she said, seductively. As much as he wanted to deny it, his body grew warm at just the thought. It had been quite awhile.

"I don't know," he said, instead of saying no. She smiled.

"Well, I do. Anyway, I love Zanarkand. It's so cool. Maybe I'll consider moving here next year and go to Zanarkand U. What do you think?"

"I think you should move only if you want to," he said, evasively. He should really tell her that he was thinking about another girl. He didn't necessarily want to lead her on, thinking they shared a future together. His phone began to ring. He looked down at it: Yuna. Obviously, she'd noticed his number in her phone.

"Hi," he answered. Darcy's eyes narrowed.

"Hi. I saw that you were trying to call me. What's up?"

"Nothing…I…um…dialed the wrong number," he ended lamely.

"Oh," she said disappointment clear in her voice.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'll talk to you later then," she said.

"Okay," he said, hearing the phone go dead. _Wait, Yuna. I wanted to see you tonight,_ his brain reminded him. He turned back to Darcy.

"Who was that?" she demanded.

"A friend."

"What kind of friend?"

"Darcy, if you're going to be here, you have to let me breathe. Dammit," he muttered. She backed off. She didn't want to anger him today. She'd come to make up, and make him realize how much she cared about him.

"Come on. Show me your room," she said, pulling his hand, while a thousand thoughts floated through his mind. He hadn't even shown Yuna his room yet. Maybe he would next weekend. She was supposed to come visit him, finally. Darcy burst into his room and looked around at everything. He just stood there, in the doorway, quietly watching her.

"Darcy, we need to talk," he said, finally to get her attention. She sat on his bed, bouncing to test the mattress. He was going to tell her everything. He walked over to the bed. "We need to talk," he repeated.

She smiled up at him, and stuck her hand under his shirt, her hand sliding slowly up his stomach. She stood up and pulled him down to her lips again. Mentally, he tried to fight it, but physically, he couldn't.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: There is slight sexual content in this chapter. Nothing too graphic, but it might be offensive, if you can figure it out. Rated M for some language and the sex content. **

Ch.6 Darcy Intervention

Darcy glanced up at the white ceiling and smiled. She was completely satisfied. This trip had gone exactly the way she'd hoped. They were closer than ever. The body slumped on top of her finally moved slowly; sweat glistening in the early afternoon light. She looked at him, his damp blond hair plastered to his forehead, beads of sweat on his face. He didn't look at her, he moved away slowly. She turned and propped herself up on an elbow to watch his retreating figure as it moved slowly toward the bathroom. She couldn't help but admire his long, tanned muscular frame. The bathroom door closed. She sighed with contentment. That had been incredible in her mind. Soon, she heard the shower going.

Sure, she had made love with Tidus many times before, but today, seemed to overpower those other times somehow. Maybe because it had been so long for him. She knew he'd wanted this just as much as she had. As soon as his parents had left to go to the supermarket, she had suggested coming into his room. Things soon got out of control, as clothing began to fly. She wished she didn't have to leave, but she had to return to Luca tomorrow. Tidus had promised to show her Zanarkand when he got off of work later tonight. She should probably go shower herself. She wondered with a smile if Tidus wanted company.

Naked, she walked over to the bathroom door. She found it locked. Why had he done that? She shrugged, and began to pull on her panties. His phone buzzed on top of his dresser. With a curious look on her face, she walked over and picked it up. It said Yuna. Who was Yuna? Was this his dance partner? The phone beeped again. She noticed that Yuna had left him a text message. She opened up the phone and read it. _Hi. I just wanted to see if you had any plans for tonight. I thought you might want to go check out that new horror movie: The Return of the Marlboro. If you do, call me. Bye. _Why was she calling him today? They couldn't have been scheduled to see each other today, or he would have told her. _Movies? That's not practicing_.

She suddenly had an intense urge to see what she looked like, if she had any _real_ reason for concern. She listened. Tidus was still in the shower. She opened up the phone and began to text Yuna back. _Sure. I'll meet you there at eight. _She then erased the previous message from Yuna. She heard the shower go off. She hurriedly put the phone back on his dresser. The bathroom door swung open, and he came out with a towel around his waist.

He frowned at her. "Why aren't you dressed yet? I have to go to work, remember?"

"I know. Um, hey, how about we go to a movie tonight?"

"Movie. You never like going to the movies."

"Yeah, well, everyone's been talking about that new horror movie. The Return of the Marlboro."

He nodded. "Yeah, I've heard a lot about it."

"So? Let's do that tonight."

"Okay, just go get dressed." She turned to leave. "Darcy."

"Yeah?" He finally looked at her. "We really need to talk tonight. It's important."

"Okay. Whatever you say," she said, smiling to herself as she carried her clothing to the guest bedroom. When Yuna saw her with him tonight, she would know that their relationship was committed, and she didn't stand a chance. She decided to take a quick shower before the Stones returned. Under the spray, she felt completely in control. Tidus hadn't been able to resist her advances just like she knew he wouldn't. She wondered vaguely how he had gotten that black eye. She didn't ask him outright, because she just assumed it was a blitzball incident. Most likely. What did he want to talk to her about? He'd tried to bring it up last night, but she'd found a way to shut him up.

She lathered her hair and wondered if she should really move to Zanarkand. She liked the way the city looked. She'd do almost anything to stay near him. Why couldn't he understand that he was the most important thing in her life? Well, she always had a soft spot for the Goers. That team had it all: looks, great bodies, and they knew how to treat a lady. She turned the shower off, thinking she would spend some more time with Tidus before he left. She went down the hall to the guest bedroom and got dressed quickly.

She didn't hear anything. The house was eerily quiet. "Tidus?" she called out. No answer. She walked down the hall to his bedroom and found it empty. Where was he? She walked down the stairs and called out to him again. Still, no answer. She opened the kitchen door and peered out. His car was gone. _He could have at least said goodbye! What the hell was wrong with him?_ She thought angrily, slamming the door.

Tonight, she was going to put him in his place and show him who the boss was. He would finally realize that she was in it for the long haul, no matter what that entailed. He belonged to her, and that's the way she was determined to keep it. She went back upstairs and began searching his room, looking for any clues as to whether or not another girl had been in there. She didn't find anything, except a assortment of dirty magazines under his mattress.

She looked to the dresser to see if he had taken his phone. He had.

* * *

Auron sighed heavily as he arranged some papers on his desk. Sales had been down due to the snow. He would go out soon and see how busy they were. If they weren't busy, he was going to send some people home. That's just the way it was. He knew some of the kids really needed the hours, but there was nothing he could do about it. He counted the money in the safe again for accuracy. It was all there. He had a good staff, no thieves yet, though he could have sworn a container of potato and bacon soup was missing.

"Hi, boss," he heard and swiveled in his chair to face Shelinda. He groaned inwardly. Shelinda was a good worker, but sometimes she over stepped her boundaries as head waitress. He closed the safe, and gave the dial a spin.

"Yes, Shelinda?" he asked.

"I was wondering…do you think I could have two weeks off in December?"

"Hell no. What for? You know that's our busiest month." People usually had guests during the holiday season, and they liked to eat out during that time.

"I…um…was planning to have surgery then."

He stared at her. "Is it life threatening surgery?"

"No. Cosmetic surgery. I wanted to get a nose job."

He simply stared and said nothing. He thought that she could very well use one, but not on his time.

"Absolutely not. Can't it wait until February?"

"Well, I guess so…I wanted it to be a surprise when my family came to visit."

He still shook his head. "No. Sorry. I need you here."

She sighed. "Okay. I just thought I'd check." He watched her leave. What was this ridiculousness? Shelinda never gave a damn what her appearance looked like. Had some man caught her eye and she was trying to impress him? He got up and decided to check on his staff. He could hear laughter coming from the kitchen. He looked around. Wakka, Tidus, and Gatta were sitting at a table, peeling potatoes.

Maroda, his head chef, was standing over the grill, looking out with a bored expression on his face. Auron walked over to him. "How's it going today?"

"Really slow. You see what I have the other guys doing."

Auron grunted, and left the kitchen. He observed the restaurant. There were a few guests in sight, but not the usual crowd he was used to seeing. He frowned. "Shelinda, how many under you today?" he asked.

"I've got five today."

"Send three home." He was confident that she and the other two could handle it.

"Okay, boss."

He returned to the kitchen. "Who wants to go home?" he asked. Maroda lifted an eyebrow.

"I do," said Gatta. Auron smirked. He knew he'd be the first volunteer. He was so close to being fired, anyway. If he missed work or showed up late again, he was gone.

"I'll go too," volunteered Maroda. Auron grimaced and turned to him.

He shrugged. "I have to get my car out of the shop."

"Fine. I'll be in my office. Clock out now, Gatta. Don't just sit there talking and riding the clock."

Gatta nodded and obeyed. He didn't plan on hanging around anyway.

Wakka kept peeling potatoes without replying. He knew there was no way in hell that Auron would have agreed to him leaving. He turned to Tidus.

"How come you didn't volunteer? Didn't you say your girlfriend is visiting, ya?"

Tidus kept his eyes on his peeling. "Yeah, she's here. I need to work."

"Bullshit. You live in that nice neighborhood."

Tidus gave a lame shrug. "I just want to be here then." And that much was true. What he'd done with Darcy last night and this morning had left him feeling guilty…and dirty. He had enjoyed it, sure, but once he was satisfied, he needed to scrub his body desperately.

"I see. Do you want to talk about, ya? When are you going to tell her about Yuna?"

"I'm going to tell her tonight. I can't keep leading her on. She's going to have to understand. And I don't care if she's naked; I'm going to do it."

Wakka grinned. His girlfriend was clever. Using feminine wiles to get to him. But, was it working? Would Tidus do what he said, and finally tell her that he was interested in another girl? Wakka sure hoped so.

* * *

Yuna didn't really understand why Tidus wanted to meet her at the movies rather than ride together. She had been debating asking him all day. Then, she realized she really wanted to see him. She'd been overjoyed when he'd accepted. She didn't think he would. Now, she was debating on what she should wear. She had been going through her closet for over an hour. This was important to her. This was, without saying it, their first official date. She held a black sweater dress up to her body and peered at herself in her full length mirror. It was a little past the knees and she wondered if it were too long. But, it was cold outside.

"I think it's a little too cold for that, honey," she heard, and turned to see Braska in her bedroom doorway. And for once, he seemed sober. He was wearing a comfortable pair of dark slacks and a long-sleeved shirt, with a navy sweater over it.

"I was going to wear long boots," said Yuna, thinking she might look really good in the dress despite the weather.

"Better go with a pair of pants," advised Braska. He was protective of her, and he never really liked for her to wear skirts or dresses on her evenings out. They showed too much leg.

"Father, this date is important to me," she defended.

"I'm sure you'll look pretty in anything," he assured her. She smirked and turned to him.

"That's what any girl's father would say," she chastised.

"Well, now, Yuna, I'm shocked. I didn't know you personally knew every girl's father in Zanarkand." She turned to hide her smile. She was glad that he was finally getting back to his old self.

"I'll leave you to finish getting ready. I'll be in the living room watching television." Her heart sank instantly. Almost always accompanying him when he watched television was a glass of scotch.

She turned back to her reflection in the mirror. She was going to have to try talking to him again about his drinking. It hadn't gone well the first few times. She decided Braska was right, and settled for a pair of jeans and a white blouse. She chose a blue sweater to wear over it. It fit a bit tight across her chest, and she realized she had never worn it before. She'd bought it about a year ago at the mall in West Zanarkand.

She decided to leave her hair down tonight. She decided to wear her long light brown coat and grabbed her purse to head out. She was leaving thirty minutes early on purpose. The drive would take her a good fifteen minutes anyway.

"I'm going, Father," she said, in the doorway. Braska turned to her from the recliner.

"Okay, honey. Have a good time," he said, his scotch clutched in his hand.

She smiled weakly, and headed outside. She had parked her jeep in front earlier because she knew she was going out again. She had spent most of the morning with Rikku at the thrift market.

She got behind the wheel of her jeep and started the ignition. Her phone began to ring. Her heart stopped. Was it Tidus calling to cancel? She looked at it. It was Baralai.

"Hi, Baralai," she greeted.

"Hello, Yuna. How are you tonight?"

"Fine. What's up?"

"I thought maybe we could go out tonight. It's going to be a wild night at The Flaming Flare."

"I can't, Baralai. I have other plans. I'm sorry."

He was silent for the longest time. "I see. That's fine. I'll see you Monday then."

"Okay. Have a good night," she said, and hung up.

Baralai held the phone for the longest time. He smiled. The Abes. They were still at it. Good. He enjoyed playing any kind of game, and this was one he was sure he was going to win. He could tell that Yuna liked him. Did he like her, though? He decided that he did, and would even consider dating her on a regular basis after they had slept together.

* * *

"Wow. The city lights in downtown Zanarkand are beautiful," said Darcy, as she looked over the sparkling city.

"Come on. We don't want to be late getting to the lines. They'll be long enough," he assured her, getting out. She waited for him to open her door. After he had, she stepped out into the freezing weather. It had stopped snowing, but there were thick blankets of it covering the sidewalks.

Tidus held his coat against his body and made his way to one of the long lines in front of the theater. Darcy caught up to him. She surveyed the crowds, looking for a girl here by herself. She frowned. There were a lot of girls huddled into groups together. No one really stood out, and none had approached Tidus. The line moved swiftly, and Tidus got their tickets.

"Come on," he beckoned, anxious to get out of the cold. She was still looking around, however.

"Darcy." She finally realized he was waiting by the doors. She walked over quickly.

"Do you want to get some junk?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"No. I like to come out after the movie's underway, and then come back when the crowd is gone."

But, if they went directly to the movie, they would possibly miss Yuna.

"I want something to drink desperately," she said, heading over to one of the lines. He gritted his teeth and followed. He didn't say anything, and paid no particular attention to the crowd of people. Darcy took a few steps away from him on purpose, so as to make it seem as though they weren't together. She waited.

"Tidus? Hi. There you are," they heard. Darcy turned sideways to see who had greeted him. Her eyes bulged at the pretty, petite girl that stood in front of him. She glowered as she took in the girl from head to toe. A girl with shoulder length brown hair, lightly tanned skin that glowed, and…wait…was her right eye green, and her left blue? She looked up at Tidus, and didn't miss the way his blue eyes lit up.

"Yuna? Hi."

"Why are you in line already? I thought we'd get something after the movie's underway," said Yuna. Darcy watched the confusion on his handsome face.

"What?" he asked, unable to think of anything else. Yuna floundered for a moment. Had she made a mistake? She shifted her weight as a short, dark haired girl turned around to face them. She looked up at Tidus expectantly.

"Um, Yuna…this is my girlfriend, Darcy," he said, the words sounding as if he were having tremendous difficulty saying them. And he was. _What was Yuna doing here_?

Yuna turned to the girl and forced a smile. "Hi. I'm Tidus' dance partner," she explained, making it seem as though that were all it were.

Darcy smiled back brightly. "He's told me all about you. He says the dancing's going pretty well."

Yuna nodded numbly. She didn't know what to do. She just knew she had to get out of here…and fast.

"I'll see you Monday, Tidus," she said, turning to leave before he could see the utter disappointment and anger on her face. He saw it. He left the line, and grabbed her arm gently.

"Yuna, what's wrong?" he asked, desperately trying to figure out why she was upset.

"You know what's wrong!" she said, breaking free and running out of the theater. He really didn't. He watched her rush through the crowd. His heart felt like it was cracking. He felt like running after her. He turned back to Darcy. She took notice of the look of disappointment on his face, and turned her back. She smiled. He wordlessly joined her in the line again.

When the movie was over, which Tidus had hardly paid attention to; he knew that he and Darcy had to talk. It would wait until he got them back to his house. It had begun to snow again, and he didn't want to fight while driving.

Once they were in the safety of his home, he checked to see where Jecht and Zalora were. They weren't in sight. He turned on the lamp in the living room and sat down on the couch. Darcy cautiously followed him. He hadn't said one word during the drive home.

"Wasn't that movie scary? Can you imagine being swallowed by a Marlboro?" she asked.

He sighed. "Darcy, I think we should break up."

"What! Why would you want to do that? _Especially_ after this morning." Bringing up sex wasn't going to work this time.

"I'm not kidding. I want to break up," he repeated. She looked at him. He looked serious. She wondered if he would change his mind if she showed him her breasts. Probably not.

"Tidus, I don't want to break up. I love you."

"No, you don't. I'm just the trophy boyfriend you wanted so you can tell your friends you're dating me."

"I hate you for saying that! I do love you." She really did. "Don't you love me?"

"No. I don't." She began to sob into her hands. Tidus shook his head. That wasn't going to work this time, either. Suddenly, she turned angry. In fact, her face looked livid.

"You want that Yuna girl, don't you?" she demanded.

He wasn't sure if he should tell her the truth or not. She was crazy sometimes. "I just want to be on my own for awhile," he said instead.

"You're lying! I saw the way you were looking at her just now! Probably can't wait to get her in your bed!" she screamed. Jecht suddenly appeared in the doorway, wearing a pair of red pajama bottoms and no shirt.

"What's going on down here?" He looked at the sobbing girl on the sofa. Then, he looked at his son.

Tidus nodded. Jecht nodded and turned to leave.

"I'm going up to my room, Darcy. I'm tired. You haven't even asked me about my day at work." Auron sending the extra help home had turned out to be a big mistake. They had been busy all evening, with only him and Wakka in the kitchen. Auron had to come out to help them. He started up the stairs.

"You get back here! This isn't over!"

He paused on the stairs and looked down at her. "It's over." He continued up the stairs and down the hall. She followed.

"Wait, Tidus! Please don't do this!" begged Darcy, throwing her arms around his waist. He sighed deeply. He never liked seeing girls cry.

"Darcy, this can't work."

"Sure, it can. We just need to work on it. Please," she begged, crawling around him so that she was in front of him. He felt sorry for her.

"Let me show you why you don't want to break up with me," she said, her fingers on his zipper.

"I can get that from anyone," he pointed out.

"But not as good," she said, her dark eyes staring up at him. He swallowed. She really _was_ good at it. But, everything couldn't be solved with sex.

"Not out here in the hall," he said, stopping her hands from unbuckling his jeans. She crawled behind him into his bedroom and closed the door. He sat on his head, wishing he didn't want this so badly. She crawled over and unzipped his pants.

"Darcy, this doesn't solve everything-"he broke off when he felt her mouth envelope him. And just like that, he forgot everything.

Across Zanarkand, Yuna lay, sobbing silently into her pillow. Why would Tidus accept her invitation to the movies just to bring his girlfriend along? He could have told her in advance. She didn't understand.

**Author's Notes: I realize this chapter was kinda short, but I wanted the readers to see Darcy and how manipulative she can be.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Note: This story is rated M for a reason. Pretty strong language in some areas. **

Ch. 7 Birthday Wishes

All week long, Yuna and Tidus were both having difficult times with the routine they had perfected only weeks earlier. Their timing was off, their steps miscalculated. They were hardly speaking. And on Friday, they didn't say a word to discuss where they were meeting the next day for their required time together. Tidus was wondering if he could be excused from it. Yuna was obviously furious with him. Darcy had called him repeatedly all week long. He'd deliberately allowed Jecht to drive her to the airport. He didn't want to do it. "Hey, Tidus, that eye is looking better," smiled Mr. Isaaru. Tidus smiled sheepishly.

"Heh. I guess so. Mr. Isaaru, do you think that…Yuna and I could skip required time tomorrow?"

Mr. Isaaru frowned. "Absolutely not. From what I've seen from you to this week, you need more practice than anyone. I'm sorry, but the answer is no."

Tidus nodded. He hadn't really expected to be excused. He walked over to Yuna. They had to make plans, after all. "Yuna?"

She looked up at him, icicles shooting from her eyes. "Yes?"

"Um, where do you want to meet tomorrow?"

She shrugged. "I guess I can finally come over to your place, or are you expecting company this weekend?"

"No. My place is fine," he said.

"Fine," she replied, gathering her things to leave. She stormed off before he could say another word. He watched her leave. Baralai made an attempt to talk to her, but she said something quickly to him and walked through the doors. He turned and looked at Tidus. They glared at each other for the longest moment. He wasn't really sure why Baralai was out to get him. Nor did he care. He was in no mood for him today. If he wanted to go another round, he was ready. Unfortunately, Paine directed Baralai's attention on her. Tidus gathered his things and left.

"Hey, Tidus, how's it goin'?" Datto asked, as soon as he stepped out in the sunlight.

Tidus squinted at him. "Fine. What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting on Calli. We had a good time on our last date. I'm going to ask her out again."

"She's talking to Mr. Isaaru. She's probably going to be awhile."

"It's okay. I don't mind waiting. See ya," he said, opening the doors to go inside. He headed to his car and paused when he saw Yuna leaning against the door to her jeep, her forehead pressed to the window. What was she doing? He could tell by the slight shake of her shoulders that she was crying. He started in her direction when Letty appeared out of nowhere.

He watched as Letty said a few words to her, and she shook her head. He took her into his arms gently, and gave her a gentle hug. Tidus just stared. He watched as Letty placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Then, he lost it. He tossed his things into his car angrily, and got inside, slamming the door.

"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!" he swore, his fist pounding the steering wheel. _What was the matter with the Abes_? It seemed like one was always hanging around Yuna. Why was he so pissed off? He saw Yuna's jeep drive by, with Letty behind the wheel and swore some more. He watched the jeep until it was out of the school's parking lot, not realizing how angry he really was.

But, someone else noticed. Wakka watched Tidus sitting in his car, his face tomato red, his eyes watery, an expression of hurt outlined clearly on his features. He was about to go over, when Tidus suddenly started the car and sped out of the parking lot. What in Yevon's name was going on with him? He wondered. And more importantly, why the hell was Letty holding Yuna? Wakka shook his head.

He sat on the roof of his car and took out a cigarette. He saw Datto leaving the gym with Calli by his side. He groaned and shook his head again. The Abes were suicidal lately in his mind. He knew that Mr. Isaaru was sleeping with several young girls at the school, including Calli.

"Wakka."

He turned and looked into the cold lavender blue eyes of Seymour.

"What?" he asked, wondering what the Guado could possibly want with him?

"About this weekend. There's been a change of plans. I thought you should know so there are no surprises."

"What about this weekend?"

"I'm going to be at Lulu's all day tomorrow. So, don't be surprised if you see me there." Though he was a bit surprised, he couldn't care less.

"You come all the way over to tell me that, ya? I would have found out tomorrow." Seymour seemed to be watching him closely, weighing his emotions. He should have waited until tomorrow when he would have caught Wakka off guard.

"I know. But, I was leaving, and I saw you, so, why not prepare you?"

Wakka shrugged. "We're just practicing dance moves, Seymour."

"I know that. I won't disturb you."

_Why are you even going to be there_? Wakka wondered. He watched Seymour continue walking to his car_. Did he feel threatened by me? Why? Had Lulu said or done something? Wow. Maybe I should give him something to really worry about. Prick. _

He turned to get into his car when a girl threw her slender arms around his neck and kissed him on the neck. He smiled and looked down at her.

"Hi, Wakka," smiled Talynda.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I thought maybe you could come over tonight. My parents are gone to Djose'." Wakka hesitated. He liked Talynda, but no girl should expect a relationship from him. He wasn't the relationship guy.

"Talynda, you don't expect us to start dating, do you?" he asked.

She shook her head, her curly blonde locks swinging. "Nope. I know what kind of guy you are. But, I still like you."

He smiled again. "Okay. I'll be there then." She kissed him then. He chuckled, and returned the kiss.

Across the parking lot, Lulu silently watched Talynda's open display of affection. _Wakka_ _was a really sweet guy_, she thought to herself.

* * *

"Why the hell are we out here in the damn open field, Paine?" Baralai asked in an annoyed voice. It was early Saturday morning, and he was slightly hung over. Paine shrugged carelessly.

"Well, I've got to take care of the chocobos today," she said.

Baralai froze. He was glad he'd worn thick underpants today. _Did she just say chocobos_?

"I can't. I'm allergic to chocobos," he said, hoping she'd leave it alone.

She smirked at him. "Really? I guess you forgot that I watched you wolf down a basket of chocobo wings at The Shiva?"

Baralai stared at her, momentarily being reminded of the night he'd taken her to his favorite nightclub. He'd drank so many blue dragons, he could have eaten anything.

"Come on. They don't bite," she assured him, heading across the field. He felt a tremor down his spine. He really didn't want Paine of all people to see him acting like a pussy. What could he do that would seem manly? He timidly started after her, feeling perspiration beginning to build on his brow. He watched Paine walk up to the big birds. There were at least a dozen or more out here today. He remembered the last time he'd been this terrified had been on a roller coaster ride when he was ten. He stopped walking.

Paine turned to him. "Come on. We've got to feed them. Grab that bag of feed over there," she pointed, but his limbs had gone numb. She stared at him. What the hell was wrong with him today? Was he so stupid he didn't know what she was talking about? She walked over to the feed and picked up a bag. She turned back to Baralai. He hadn't moved an inch, his eyes never leaving the birds.

"Baralai, grab a bag and come over," Paine called. He finally broke his eyes away from the birds and went to pick up a bag of the feed. With trembling fingers, he started slowly in her direction. She was pouring the feed out for the birds. They seemed distracted. Maybe…

_Oh Shit_. Two birds were eying him. He swallowed, and then he realized why they were watching him. The feed. One bird stepped forward and chirped. He panicked, dropping the bag and taking off full speed across the field. The bird began to give excited chase.

"Aaaah!" he screamed, causing Paine to look up. What the hell? She watched the bird chasing Baralai and chuckled to herself. It just wanted to play. The smile left her face. Obviously, Baralai didn't know this. He picked up a stick and tossed it at the bird. The bird picked it up and continued to chase him. Paine took off after them.

Baralai realized with dread that he was running into a dead end. His heart was beating so fast, he thought he was going to collapse. He turned around and backed into the barn. The bird was still coming! It's going to bite me! He squatted down, and hid his face behind his arms and knees. His sweatshirt was soaked with sweat.

Paine caught up them. She smiled again. "Baralai, it won't bite…" she laughed, when she realized his trembling knees. She stared. He was really afraid. She took the stick from the bird, and turned it gently so it could go back and join the others. With wide eyes, she started slowly toward Baralai. She couldn't believe he was freaking out. She squatted in front of him, noticing that he was sweating profusely.

"Baralai, it's okay. The bird's gone," she said. He still didn't let go of his knees. She heard him gasping for air. What was wrong with him?

"Baralai, are you okay?" she asked seriously. His ragged gasps kept coming. She noticed how red his dark face was.

"Baralai, talk to me! What's wrong?" She forced his arms to let go of his knees so she could look at his face. Other than looking completely terrified, he seemed like he couldn't breathe. Shit.

"Granny!" she screamed, running around the barn. Jolene burst out of the front door. Seeing her frantic granddaughter put her in a panic.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Call an ambulance. It's Baralai. I don't think he's breathing!" Jolene rushed back inside. Paine hurriedly returned to Baralai. She pushed him so he could lie gently on his back.

"Paine," he whispered, gasping deeply.

"What, Baralai? Help me help you."

"My coat. I have…an inhaler…in my coat…" he whispered. Paine looked back out toward the chocobos and saw Baralai's coat draped across the fence. She took off running faster than she had in her entire life, her heart pounding in her chest. Baralai could die for all she knew! She reached frantically inside of the coat's pockets until she felt something plastic. The inhaler. She took it and ran just as hard back to Baralai. She gave it to him and he put it in his mouth and took a deep breath.

"Is he okay, Paine?" Folene asked, rushing over. "The ambulance is on its way."

Paine shook her head and didn't answer. Baralai kept taking deep breaths while the two of them watched anxiously. He finally took it away from his mouth and sat up slowly.

"Take it easy, young man," Folene warned, squatting to support him. He reached up and removed his sweat soaked headband.

"Are you going to be okay?" Paine asked. He nodded numbly. They could hear the ambulance in the distance. Paine was glad. She wanted to make sure he was really alright. The ambulance people came over and checked him over.

"What happened here?" one asked, checking Baralai's vital signs and everything.

"I'm fine," he insisted, embarrassed about all of the fuss.

"Well, what happened?"

"I…I…I have a lung condition. If I start to sweat profusely or if I'm…scared, I'll have an attack," he said, without meeting Paine's eyes.

"Lung condition? But blitzball…?" Paine asked, really confused.

He smiled ruefully. "I guess I'm not the star everyone thinks I am. I can't stay in the sphere pool longer than two minutes. If I don't score while I'm in there, I have to leave for awhile, and then come back."

Paine was bewildered. Sure, she had noticed that he left during a game for a while, sometimes not returning until the second half, but never staying to play the whole game.

"Does Coach Luzzu know?" she asked.

"No one knows, Paine. I don't want anyone to know. They'd just make fun of me. Please don't tell anyone," he begged. Paine didn't know what to do. The Abes had a right to know. He could cost them games. She looked down into his pleading eyes, and knew she wouldn't say a word.

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work, Rik? This guy has no idea that this is happening?"Gippal asked, as he balanced his athletic frame on a ladder. He carefully placed the balloon on the wall.

Rikku shrugged. "I don't see why it shouldn't. He has no idea."

"So, why are we in charge of decorations? I don't even know the guy," Gippal complained, climbing down.

Rikku turned him, her arms filled with streamers. "Well, because I wanted to do something nice for Yuna. She's been down in the dumps lately."

Gippal jolted. "Does she even know about this?"

"Nope. I couldn't risk her spilling the beans."

"Who DOES know about this besides us, the fools?"

Rikku ignored him. "Everyone knows besides him and Yuna."

She looked around the basement. She and Gippal had spent all day cleaning it. And decorating it. And she hoped it wasn't in vain. Tidus had better appreciate it. She had only found out casually from Wakka that today was his birthday. She'd suggested the surprise party to Wakka, who had agreed, but warned that he wouldn't be able to help much because he had to spend time with Lulu. Rikku had agreed to do most of the setup, seeing how she and Gippal didn't have much else planned.

Gippal sat down on the old sofa. He was tired. Cleaning a dirty basement hadn't been in his plans today. Rikku came over and sat next to him. After all, her part of the plan was over. Her father had taken Brother to Bikanel Island mostly because he didn't want to be bothered with loud, rowdy teenagers. He trusted Rikku well enough to leave her home alone.

"You're such a sweet person," Gippal said, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

Rikku shrugged modestly. "It's for my cousin, really. I know she likes Tidus."

Honestly, Gippal didn't know what the big fuss about Yuna was all about. Sure, she was a cute girl, but she just didn't get his motor revving. Rikku, on the other hand, sent his engine into overheat. He had a soft spot for blondes, too. Rikku leaned over and kissed him back. He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer. He slipped his tongue between her lips. She wasn't surprised. He did this often. And she usually enjoyed it. His lips slip off hers and he brought them to her neck quickly.

"Gippal!" Rikku shrieked, as his mouth clenched onto her neck, and it really hurt. He ignored her, his arms wrapped around her waist tightly. She gave him a hard shove, and jumped off the couch. He smiled at her. This was another reason she hesitated to sleep with him. Honestly, he terrified her. She had the unsettling feeling that he was an animal in bed. And he gave her every reason to think just that.

"Come on, Rik. We're just getting started. Let's play some more," he said, beckoning her back to the sofa. He had to admit that Rikku's turning him down actually turned him on. He loved the thrill of the chase.

"No," she said, going back over to the table to fiddle with some napkins. He sat on the sofa, watching her, his excitement getting the best of him. _Tell me no one more time, _he silently begged. That's the way he liked it. He wanted her to slap him hard across the face, choke him, and punch him. He felt trouble stirring between his legs at these thoughts.

He watched as she inspected everything, her tight short yellow skirt clinging to her hips. She was wearing a tight purple sweater as he watched the way her breasts moved under the fabric. He got up and walked over to her again, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Gippal, stop it," she said, not knowing that's what he wanted to hear.

_Whoooo! _His mind screamed as his left hand made its way under her sweater.

"Gippal, we don't have time for this," Rikku said, taking notice of the time. People would start arriving soon.

"You said yes, Rik," he reminded her.

"I did say yes. I didn't say when. Not tonight." He was more than a little disappointed, but he would wait. She had said it was going to happen. Rikku turned in his arms and put her arms around his neck. She kissed the tip of his nose.

"Sorry. Down boy," she said, heading for stairs to wait for the guests. Gippal lingered there for a moment longer. He was agitated. He was frustrated. But, more than anything, he loved every minute of it.

* * *

"You missed that last step, Wakka," Seymour said, as he lifted his cup to his lips to take a sip. He was sitting in the pink armchair in the corner of Lulu's living room, watching them practice. He closed his eyes to savor the flavor of cinnamon on his tongue. Majestic sure could brew a pot of coffee. He put the cup back down on his saucer. He glanced at Wakka again and silently shook his head. _What could Lulu see in this guy, anyway? _Wakka was wearing a brown hoodie and jeans. Seymour never wore jeans. He preferred slacks. They were conservative, as well as comfortable. He wouldn't be caught dead in a hoodie, even though they were the rage of most teenagers in Zanarkand. He preferred his long-sleeved shirts, and had a particular liking for sweater vests.

Wakka sighed and signaled to Lulu that they would begin again. He didn't know why they were having so many problems with the routine today. Well, he did know. Lulu was acting strange. She wouldn't move close enough to his body. She kept holding his hand awkwardly. He wasn't sure what was wrong with her.

"Let's try again, Lu."

"It's Lulu," corrected Seymour. He hated nicknames.

Lulu sighed. She couldn't concentrate as well as she normally did while Seymour was there, watching her every move. Her shoulder was bothering her as well. It hurt to move it. She had told Wakka that she had banged it against her doorframe, which wasn't a complete lie. Only, she'd had some help. She knew that anything Seymour deemed inexcusable behavior on her part today would result in some minor injury. If he thought she looked into Wakka's eyes too long; if she pressed her body against his for too long. Anything.

She raised her hand to meet Wakka's again, wincing as the pain in her shoulder returned. Wakka noticed. "Hey, is your shoulder still bothering you? Maybe we shouldn't practice today, ya. It needs some rest."

"Is your shoulder still bothering you, Lulu?" Seymour asked, his tone deadly.

"It is a little," she admitted to Wakka. Wakka nodded. He wasn't about to force the poor girl to use it then.

"Okay. We'll stop. Let's do something else."

"Something else like what, Wakka?" Seymour asked, his voice filled with ice. Wakka was trying his hardest to be nice to him for Lulu's sake. He longed to throw him out the window just to be rid of him.

Wakka shrugged. "Whatever Lulu wants to do."

"What do you _want _to do, Lulu?" Seymour asked, his eyes glued on her.

Lulu shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Want to watch television?" she asked Wakka.

"Sure. You have a television?" he asked, because he'd never seen one.

"Of course she has a television," Seymour said. _What an idiot. Who in Zanarkand didn't own a television? _He was sure a dumb jock like Wakka spent a lot of time in front of one.

"Yes. It's in my bedroom," said Lulu.

Seymour raised an eyebrow. _Take him in your room, and see what happens!_

"Okay, let's go," Wakka said, waiting for her to lead the way. Lulu threw a helpless glance at Seymour and turned to head for the stairs. Seymour noticed the way Wakka's eyes watched her backside as she headed up the stairs. He seethed, almost spilling his coffee. He'd told Lulu not to wear jeans, anyway!

He gathered his composure and followed them upstairs, deciding to leave his coffee in case he had an impulsive urge to throw it in Wakka's face. He found them settled on the floor in front of Lulu's bed. He sat on the bed, his intention to show Wakka that he was familiar with it.

Lulu forgot he was there. She and Wakka were animatedly discussing the movie that was on the screen.

"You're kidding me, ya. You like horror movies?"

Lulu nodded. Wakka hadn't been with the Abes when she'd run into them at the theater. Seymour hated horror movies, but she'd talked him into seeing The Return of the Marlboro, anyway.

"I'm not one of those romance movie type girls. I like blood and gore," she said.

Wakka laughed. "That's my type of girl." He'd also forgotten that Seymour was behind them on the bed.

Lulu laughed. "You should go see it. It's worth the gil."

Seymour noticed that they were sitting very close to each other, their shoulders almost touching. He didn't say anything.

"Wanna go with me?" Wakka asked. Lulu hesitated. It would be fun to see the movie with Wakka. She really wanted to.

"Wakka, are you asking my girl out?" they heard and remembered Seymour was in the room.

"No. You can come to, ya. I just want to see the movie with Lulu."

"No. I've seen it and so has she. Find someone else."

Wakka kept his eyes on the screen. This prick acted like Lulu had no mind of her own. He was wondering why she didn't speak up. He thought she was kinda outspoken. He decided it was really none of his business.

* * *

"So, it must be hard finding things to do now that the blitz season is over," said Zalora. Tidus looked at her and shrugged.

"Not really. I have school work and actual work to keep me busy."

It was the short and to the point answer that Zalora had been expecting. She wasn't sure what was going on here, but her stepson and this young woman hadn't spoken more than two words to each other in the past hour. She was trying to understand what was going on here. She knew of course that Tidus was having problems with Darcy. She turned to the young woman again.

"So, Yuna how's the dancing going? I'd love to see what you're working on."

She was met with two pairs of glaring eyes. _O-kay. Forget the dancing. _She was watching the clock, anxiously awaiting Jecht's arrival home. He knew how to handle tense situations better than she did. Finally, she heard the front door open. She rushed out to greet him.

"Hey, babe," he said, giving her a kiss.

"Hey. Listen. Tidus' friend Yuna is here. I don't know what's going on, but you can cut the air with a knife in there it's so thick," she whispered. Jecht nodded, and removed his coat. He handed the bag he was carrying to Zalora. "Let me handle it," he assured her.

Jecht entered the living room, and true enough, he found his son sitting on the couch and a young woman he didn't know sitting even farther away on the small sofa. They were facing each other. Jecht was amused. Young people usually amused him.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Tidus said without emotion.

"I said hey," he repeated, raising an eyebrow at Tidus.

"Dad, this is Yuna. Yuna, my Dad," he said so quick Jecht wasn't sure the words had passed his lips.

Yuna turned to him. Jecht smiled a little. _Well, now, she's a looker. Cute little thing. No wonder my son is a fucking mess these days. _

"Hi," Yuna said politely.

"Hey. So, what are you kids up to?" Jecht asked, coming into the room and settling into the recliner closer to Yuna. He knew he had a way with women. He'd get her talking. Yuna looked at the handsome, dark haired man and tried to find resemblances to Tidus. She didn't find any.

"We're um…." She stumbled.

"Doing nothing from the looks of it. How's the dancing going?" he asked.

"Well…fine…Mr. Stone."

"Call me Jecht. Let's see it."

Tidus turned and gave Jecht a look so deadly, they could have his funeral within the hour. Jecht ignored the look.

"I said let's see it," he said more firmly. Yuna didn't know why, but she didn't want to argue with this man. She stood up, straightening her skirt.

_Cute little figure too, _thought Jecht. He got up and moved the coffee table out of the way. Then, he returned to his recliner and turned to them expectantly.

"Do you do this to music? I could turn the stereo on," he said. Tidus shook his head and reluctantly stood up. He knew what his dad was trying to do. He stepped up to Yuna. She took a deep breath, and finally looked up at him. They stared at each other for a moment.

"I'm waiting," Jecht reminded.

Tidus held his hand out to Yuna. She took it, and they began. Jecht watched silently. It didn't look bad. They seemed in perfect harmony with each other. His brow furrowed as the routine seemed to take on a more complicated turn. He watched Tidus dip Yuna, and then they turned in perfect union. Jecht knew for certain that with his bad back he'd never be able to complete this assignment, even when he was young. His teacher would have gotten a _fuck you,_ and that would have been the end of it. But, the kids were good. Zalora came in and sat on the arm of his chair and watched silently with him until the end. Jecht clapped.

"Yeah. That was really good. I liked that flip she did over your back, too. Wow."

"That's not in the original routine. We made the last parts up," Yuna said, finally smiling, charming Jecht even more. She was the kind of girl he hoped his son would settle down with. He studied his son's face. He wasn't scowling any longer. He could tell that he liked this girl a lot. _Well, what the hell are you waiting for, jackass? Get to it. _

Yuna's phone began to ring. "Oh, excuse me," she said and walked over to it. Tidus immediately tensed again. "What? You want me to come where? Bring Tidus with me?" they heard her saying. She ended her call. "That was Rikku. She wants me to come over to her place…with you," she explained to Tidus. He thought that was odd.

"Well, son, I'll see you when I see you," Jecht said at the front door. He didn't expect Tidus to ever make curfew, so he never gave him one. And since today was his birthday, he'd be lucky to see him by lunch tomorrow. Though to give Tidus credit, he was a lot better here in Zanarkand than he'd been in Luca. His teammates, the Goers, were a wild bunch. Jecht got tired of coming home in the afternoons, finding his son sprawled on the couch, still hung over from the previous night. He often found him like that. When he did rise, Jecht would bawl him out, taking notice of the several hickeys that covered his neck. Jecht wasn't surprised that the girls loved him. He was, after all, _his _son. He found out things about Tidus' wild nights out that he never wanted to know about. He remembered when Zalora had brought him a pair of Tidus' boxers with lipstick marks stained across the opening. Thank goodness coming to Zanarkand had slowed him down. He'd met most of the Abes, and he could tell they were good kids. Maybe that's what it was. Different crowd.

"See ya, Dad," Tidus said, getting into the passenger seat of Yuna's jeep. He wondered what Rikku could possibly want. He hardly knew her, just as Yuna's cousin. He was having a miserable birthday. Sure, Jecht and Zalora had given him nice things this morning. He hadn't told anyone except Wakka that today was his eighteenth birthday. Darcy had called him and assured him that she was having a special present send to him.

"Your Dad is…interesting," Yuna said, keeping her eyes on the traffic. She was still furious with him about the movies, but decided not to hold a grudge. If he just wanted to be friends, she would have to accept it. She realized all of this as Letty drove her home from school yesterday. He had been so concerned to see her upset. It should have been Tidus that had come to comfort her, seeing how he was the source of her pain.

"He's always like that," Tidus relented, deciding he would be friendly.

"Your stepmother seems nice, and she's beautiful," Yuna said, wondering if it were difficult for his father to keep a woman that beautiful faithful. She saw Tidus grit his teeth.

"Yeah, she's okay," he finally admitted. Though 'okay' wasn't his first choice words. They were silent again as Yuna navigated them to Rikku's. Yuna pulled into the Zaon apartment complex. The apartments here were spacious, and each included a basement. Tidus silently followed her up the concrete steps. She walked into the hallway and turned to the first door on her right. She rang the doorbell. Rikku opened the door, giving them a secret smile.

"Hi. I'm glad you guys could make it," she said, holding the door open.

They stepped inside the spacious living room. Tidus noticed the strange, bright colors that decorated the furniture, but make no comment. He recognized the blond boy sprawled on the orange sofa. He got up and came over. He stuck out his hand.

"What's up, Tidus," he said.

"Hey, Gippal," Tidus said, shaking his hand.

"Well, we're here, Rikku. What's up?" asked Yuna.

"Um…well…there's…" Rikku stumbled.

"It's down in the basement. You've got to see it," Gippal said, trying to rescue her.

"What's in the basement?" Tidus asked.

"Come on. You guys have to check this out," Gippal said, tugging on Yuna's hand.

Yuna was confused. The only thing she could remember being in this basement were dust and clutter. She allowed Gippal to pull her along, as Rikku pushed Tidus. Yuna made her way down the stairs.

"Why is it dark down here?" she asked him, nothing but darkness in front of her eyes. Gippal didn't answer.

"Wait, Rikku. I can't see a damn thing," Tidus complained, right behind them.

"Who needs a light?" Rikku asked, and suddenly the lights were flipped on.

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIDUS!"

Tidus' eyes adjusted gradually to the light as he saw familiar faces in the crowd around him. A surprise party? For him?

Wakka came over and patted him on the back. "Happy birthday, brudda."

Tidus couldn't keep the smile off his lips. "You did this?"

"Not just me. I had some help, ya."

"He didn't do shit! Me and Gippal set this up!" Rikku yelled. Wakka shrugged helplessly. Tidus was more than appreciative.

He turned to Rikku and Gippal. "Thanks."

"No problem. Turn the music up," Gippal yelled, as he pulled Rikku into the crowd for a dance. Wakka was pulled into the crowd. "Have fun, ya!" he screamed to Tidus. Tidus finally turned back to Yuna.

"Did you know about this?"

"No. I didn't know anything," she admitted honestly, making a mental note to kill Rikku.

"Care to dance with the birthday boy?" he asked her, and held out his hand. She couldn't resist smiling back at him, and took his hand. He was instantly forgiven for that stupid date as he pulled her close, her arms around her waist.

"Ouch," Yuna grimaced as one of Gippal's wild elbows stuck her arm. He smiled at her apologetically, and took his wild gyrations elsewhere.

After their dance, Yuna allowed Tidus to dance with other girls that wanted to dance with the birthday boy. She had instant offers, anyway. Finally, she left the crowd and walked over to the cooler to grab a soda. Rikku caught up to her.

"You could have told me, Rikku," she accused.

Rikku shrugged. "You would have told him. You can't keep a secret."

"What? I can keep a secret. I haven't told anyone that you want to sleep with Gippal," she said, as LeBlanc came within earshot for a soda.

Rikku shrieked, "You have now!"

LeBlanc gave them a smile. "Don't worry, loves. That's not juicy enough for me to spread. Now, if you've done some dirty things with him, despite the fact that you haven't slept together…then…we can talk."

"I haven't done anything!" yelled Rikku. LeBlanc shrugged, and retrieved her soda.

"It seems as though the birthday boy is being kept busy," Rikku observed.

Yuna shrugged. "I guess he is."

"Well, go out there and get him," she said, giving her cousin a gentle push.

Yuna stumbled near Tidus and his dance partner. The song finally came to an end, as a slow one came on. Tidus patted the shoulder of the girl he'd been dancing with. He saw Yuna standing off by herself. He walked over. She looked into his eyes. Without speaking, she walked into his arms and put her arms around his neck. She pressed her face against his chest. He wondered briefly if she could hear the rapid beat of his heart. He put his arms around her waist.

Wakka was watching them with a small smile on his face. Good. Tidus deserved this on his birthday. "Wanna dance, Wakka?" he heard and turned to face Lulu.

"What?" he asked, astonished that she was here.

"Wanna dance?" she repeated, putting his arms around her waist.

"Well, yeah," he said. He inhaled the scent of her sweet perfume. _Praise be to Yevon._

Tidus lost himself in the melodious beat of the music. He could smell the lavender scent of shampoo coming from Yuna's hair. It was strange. They had been dancing together for months, but never without being forced. It was different. Yuna suddenly looked up at him. He looked into her multi-colored eyes wondering if he should…if he could…his head leaned down toward hers slowly. Time seemed to stand still. She closed her eyes in anticipation. Inches away from her lips, he closed his eyes. Yuna felt a yank suddenly.

"Dance with me, Yuna!" Keepa said, pulling her away and into the crowd. Yuna tried to adjust to being snatched from Tidus' arms to Keepa's with literally the blink of an eye. She looked back to find Tidus, but failed with the heavy crowd.

"Keepa," she complained as he put his heavy arms around her waist. He smiled at her. "Let me go."

"What's the matter, Yuna?"

"I was dancing already."

"Yeah, but that was just Tidus. You dance with him all the time."

Yuna wished she could tell him exactly why she was frustrated. Did he have any idea how long she had been waiting for Tidus to voluntarily kiss her? She finally spotted Tidus again, only he had a new dance partner now.

"Dammit," she muttered.

"Yuna, you look really pretty tonight," Keepa said, deliberately ignoring her anger. Sure, he had seen Tidus about to kiss her, but…not on his watch. Was Tidus in on the bet, secretly?

"Thanks, Keepa, but you really shouldn't have…" she broke off when she felt something hard against her hip. Keepa was holding her close enough so that she could feel every inch of his body. He wanted her so badly. Not like the other Abes for money, but because he really desired her.

Yuna pulled away, and took a few steps back. She needed some air. Keepa smiled at her again and she turned and headed to one of the sofas.

Tidus, with his dance partner's arms around his neck, watched her disappear into the crowd. Shit. He had been so close to kissing her…and then…._Damn Keepa_. The Abes were really starting to annoy him. Why couldn't they leave Yuna alone? He sighed as the song came to an end. He thanked the girl, and then decided he needed a break. He hoped Rikku didn't have a cake hidden somewhere.

"Hey, Tidus, come on over to the cake!" Rikku yelled, standing in front of a sloppily iced chocolate cake with candles. It looked as though it had fallen a few times. He sighed and headed over to the cake.

"Did you make this cake, Rikku? It sucks," someone yelled.

"Never mind! Just make a wish, Tidus," she said. Yuna came over to the cake.

He looked at her, and blew out the candles. There was a loud cheer.

**Author's Notes: End of Ch.7. I hope you're still enjoying it because I'm enjoying writing it. R&R, and Thanks. I try to go back and correct errors and mistakes, but sometimes I still miss them. I hope this isn't affecting your reading. Ch. 8 coming soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning: Rated M for strong language and adult situations, though nothing too graphic yet.**

Ch.8 Kiss the Girls

"So, boys, how are things going for you?" Baralai asked, as he picked up a huge slice of pizza. The Abes didn't answer right away. Someone burped. They were at O'aka's on a Thursday night. Baralai looked them over and thought as he chewed. He knew that there had been a surprise birthday party for Tidus a few weeks ago. He had deliberately skipped it. Why pretend as though he liked the guy?

"It's going fine for me," said Letty.

"Really? Guess what? I've flunked three history exams and you still haven't come in yet," Baralai said.

"I'm working on her. We're getting to trust each other. What'd you expect me to do? Rape her?"

"No, but you made it sound as if you were so good, you'd have her on her back in no time."

"All in due time. Patience is the key. She likes me. I can tell."

Baralai scoffed and shook his head. What a fool. All of them. No girl was immune to his charms. And Yuna was no different. He'd caught her looking at him in the gymnasium earlier this afternoon. He'd deliberately taken his sweatshirt off, claiming he was hot. He saw her looking at his muscles in his tank top. She probably had gotten pretty turned on.

"Nope, I'm in the lead of the pack. I talk to Yuna on the phone every night. I can't tell you what we talk about, but, use your imaginations," smiled Botta.

"Yeah, well, I danced with her at the party a few weeks ago. I got excited with her body next to mine. Was she disgusted? No. She smiled at me. She liked it," Keepa said.

"So, then, how's it going Datto?" Baralai asked.

Datto chewed slowly. The truth was, he hadn't really pursued Yuna at all. He'd had no intention of really trying to bed her. He wanted a girlfriend, not a one night stand. And he thought that he had a better chance with Calli. She, at least, seemed to like him. And it wasn't likely that one or all of the Abes would get her in the bed.

"Oh, it's a slow process," he told Baralai.

"Hopefully, not too slow."

"No. I'm on it."

"Good. I just want you guys to know. I enjoy a good fight. I love the challenge of it. And the prize will be mine," Baralai said, taking another huge bite of his slice.

There was no way in hell Letty was going to let that happen. He was getting to close to Yuna. She even cried on his shoulder. He even patted her thigh along the way home, and she hadn't reprimanded him. If things went his way, he could have her way before prom, and that's what he was aiming for.

"Good luck, guys," he told them. He meant it. They were a team.

* * *

"Well, the Thanksgiving break is coming up soon. Think I can come to Zanarkand and spend it with you?" Darcy asked.

Tidus sighed. Maybe he should let her come. Maybe he didn't spend enough time with her, and that above everything else was causing him to turn to Yuna. He paused by his locker. It was the lunch hour, and he had left the cafeteria to take the call from Darcy. The Thanksgiving break would begin on Friday. He had another idea.

"Maybe I could come to Luca and visit you."

She hesitated. "Um, I don't know. My mother isn't as cool as yours. She won't let you stay here."

He knew that. He could easily find someone to stay with. Was he imagining it, or was she trying to keep him out of Luca? Was there a particular reason for this? Was she hiding something? Maybe seeing someone behind his back?

"I know that. I can stay with Bickson or Abus." He still chatted with the Goers from time to time.

"Well…um…it'll be cooler in Zanarkand. There's nothing to do in Luca. And besides, we've both spent all of our lives in Luca. Zanarkand is new. I want to see some more of it."

"Okay," he sighed. If she was going to make a big deal out of it.

"Great! I'll call you Friday. I have to go. The lunch hour is up."

"Okay. Bye."

"I love you, Tidus."

"Okay. Bye," he repeated, hanging up. He leaned against his locker, not really caring that his half eaten lunch was getting really cold by now. He saw Yuna come out of the girl's room. She paused when she saw him. He was going to see her later in music class, but there was no need to be unfriendly. He had thought that maybe they could be friends, if nothing else. She waved. He waved back. The bell rang, and he realized it was time for his next class. He turned and opened the locker.

"Class, even though the Thanksgiving break starts today, there's no reason to slack off. And unless you're going to be out of town, you still have to spend your Saturday together," said Mr. Isaaru.

"I'll be out of town. We're going to Bevelle," Baralai said quickly. He was really trying to avoid Paine since his panic attack on her farm. She hadn't brought it up, though. He was certain that she was going to use the incident and taunt him with it.

"I'll have to call your parents to confirm it," Mr. Isaaru warned.

Baralai shrugged. "Okay." _Asshole._

Paine didn't mind. She and Folene would be busy during the holiday break, anyhow. This was the busiest time of the year. People would need their milk and eggs. She hated the holidays. Ever since her parents had disappeared during a hiking incident on five years ago. She didn't tell Folene, but she suspected they might have been attacked by the Ronso. She had better things to do than hang out with some stuck-up pretty boy, anyway. Sure. Plenty to do.

Baralai turned to her. "Well, enjoy the break."

She fixed him with a stony stare. "Yeah, you, too. Stay away from chocobos."

He glared at her. "I will. Have a good time," he said with disgust, picking up his belongings and walking away. He was deliberately waiting for Yuna, anyway. During this break, he intended to get really close to her, and possibly get himself invited over for Thanksgiving dinner. Sure, his parents were going to Bevelle, but they wouldn't notice his absence. They were hardly ever home, anyway. He was going to pretend to be too sick to make it. He saw that Yuna was still chatting with Tidus. He sat on a bleacher to wait.

"So, um, what are you doing over the break?" Yuna asked, making small talk. Since their 'almost' kiss, they had been acting overly friendly to each other.

Tidus shrugged. "Darcy's coming to visit," he told her. He wanted her to know that he and Darcy were still together. He didn't want to keep playing games with her. And it was his way of showing her that she wasn't the only one that could go out.

Yuna smiled stiffly. His girlfriend was coming. She was going to be in Zanarkand the entire Thanksgiving break. Great. What would happen on requirement Saturday, which was the following Saturday? She bid Tidus goodbye and headed for the doors. Baralai blocked her path.

"Hi, Yuna, let me walk you to your car," he said, taking her belongings. Tidus watched them without blinking. He told himself he didn't care. He told himself that he had a girlfriend. He told himself repeatedly that he didn't want to know what she was like in bed. He had to keep reminding himself of that one.

* * *

On Saturday night, Wakka got more comfortable on the carpet. He didn't know who had put this together, or why, but he liked it. It was another sleepover, only someone had come up with the ingenious idea of inviting some girls. They were at Baralai's house. His parents had gone to Bevelle without him.

"I thought you told Mr. Isaaru that you were going to Bevelle?" Paine asked, as she shifted on top of her sleeping bag. He turned to her. _Who the hell invited her? _

"I did. Damn it. Don't open your mouth."

She shrugged. She didn't care what he told Mr. Isaaru or any of his teachers. She wouldn't even be here if she hadn't allowed Talynda to drag her here. She knew about these kinds of things. It could get crazy. Of course, if any boy dared touch her, he was dead.

"So, what's up? What are we going to do, ya?" asked Wakka.

"Anybody want to play strip poker?" Botta asked, shuffling a deck of cards. It was his personal game. He never lost. Paine almost decked him. This was the kind of shit she was talking about.

"I do," smiled Keepa. He and Botta exchanged glances. They had rigged that game to ensure that they'd see some flesh.

"Hell no. Count me out," Paine stated. She knew the Abes well enough to know they were a sneaky bunch of fuckers. Talynda hesitated. She liked all kinds of games, and had no inhibitions about getting down to her bra and panties in a room full of boys.

_Nobody wants to see you naked, anyway, Paine!_ Baralai's brain screamed. He looked at Yuna. He was hoping she'd be daring enough to play. Then, _he'd _play. In his mind, it was called Abes Strip Poker. Yuna took a sip of her soda and said nothing. Shit.

"I'll play," said Talynda.

"Talynda, are you nuts? They'll have you buck naked in ten minutes," Paine warned. Botta smiled, and didn't deny it.

"No, let's play something else, ya," Wakka suggested. Somebody here had to think with the head on his shoulders. Letty agreed, to Wakka's surprise.

"Truth or Dare?" Lulu suggested. Wakka stared at her. He was surprised she was even here in the first place. She looked sexy in her red silk pajamas, the top button undone.

"That's my kind of game!" Keepa yelled. He loved the dares that people came up with. He frowned, remembering a time when he was dared to run to his street corner naked and back. That plan had backfired in his face.

"No. I've got it. Let's play spin the bottle," Gippal said, holding an empty beer bottle.

Rikku frowned. Why had he suggested that? Did he want to make out with another girl? She elbowed him. He gave her an apologetic shrug.

"Okay. Let's play that," Baralai said, sitting next to Phoenix on the carpet. They all arranged themselves boy, girl, boy, girl. Yuna wasn't so sure this was a good idea, but she was game. It was just kissing, after all. LeBlanc frowned. She was sure Bartello wouldn't like this. But, since their fight yesterday, she didn't give a damn. Letty had invited her, and she had accepted. She liked to have fun as much as anyone else. Though most of the girls were in pajamas, she was wearing a long blue silk nightgown. It had a slit up the side, showing off her shapely legs. She wore a matching short robe with it as well.

"I'll start," Botta said, putting a hand on the bottle. Lulu watched it spin with trepidation. Botta wasn't her type at all, and the way her luck had been going lately, he'd land on her. It stopped on Rikku.

"Spin it again!" Gippal demanded. Rikku looked sheepish. Wow. She was the first girl.

"It landed where it was supposed to land," Botta winked, getting up.

Baralai nodded toward the hall closet. There wasn't anything in there besides a broom and dust pan. And his mother's vacuum. Botta knew where to go, anyway. This wasn't the first time they'd played this game here. Or the last. He took Rikku out into the hall and closed the door.

"Ten minutes," Baralai said.

Gippal almost freaked out. Some guy was going to make out with his girl for ten minutes? To him, it seemed like an eternity. He slapped his forehead. _Stupid karma. Me and my big damn mouth. _He sat biting a fingernail nervously, as his eye watched the clock. _Hurry up!_

Everyone else engaged in casual conversation. Baralai held the buzzer in his hand. Gippal was about to go get them when the buzzer finally went off.

"That thing's not set for ten minutes," Gippal complained.

Baralai smiled. "It is, Gippal. Relax. You'll enjoy this game."

Jassu went and knocked on the closet door. Rikku and Botta returned. Botta gave Gippal a satisfied smirk. Rikku, with her cheeks bright red, put her hand on the bottle. _Not again!_ Gippal's brain screamed. Rikku spun, and it slowed on Datto. Keepa patted his back.

Datto got up and gave Rikku a nervous smile. He followed her out to the hall. Wakka was amused. This game was going better than he thought it would. Datto would get a little action in the process as well. He looked at Gippal and chuckled. _That's what you get for having a girlfriend, ya!_ Not one Abe had a steady girlfriend, and this was done on purpose.

After ten minutes, the couple returned, and Datto sat in the circle. He glanced at Yuna, and then glanced at Calli. Either choice would be nice. The bottle stopped on Paine. _Oh, shit!_ The Abes howled. Paine glared at them, and then she grabbed Datto's arm and practically pulled him into the hall. Datto gave them a _help me _look and disappeared.

They heard a loud thump. Letty's eyebrows rose. He knew that girl was rough. Or…maybe she wasn't kissing Datto at all. Maybe she was threatening him to say it had happened. He looked over at Yuna. He hoped he got her; she needed to know what it felt like to be kissed by him. When their time was up, Paine returned without Datto. A few minutes later, he came back, looking dazed and strangely pleased. Paine put her hand on the bottle, and glared at each boy. Wakka swallowed hard.

She gave it a good spin. It slowed, skidded, on…Baralai. _Nooooo!_ Her brain screamed. He just simply stared. Damn it. She got up and strode back to the closet. She folded her arms and waited for him. It seemed to take him an eternity to get there.

"Hurry the hell up!" she yelled impatiently. Kissing Datto hadn't been that big of a deal. He was a quiet boy. Baralai appeared and closed the door.

"Shut the hell up. I'm here."

"Fuck you."

"Fuck you."

"Get your ass over here and kiss me already."

He glared at her and then he stepped forward. She grabbed his collar and pressed her lips against his. He was shocked. It wasn't as Yevon awful as he thought it would be. He eagerly responded, putting his hands on her waist. She threw them off immediately, never breaking the kiss. _What do you know? This twat's a good kisser. _She put his hands back on her waist. They got so caught up in their kissing; they didn't hear the pound on the door. Someone pounded again. Baralai broke away, panting heavily as he glared at her. She glared back. He opened the door.

"Damn, Baralai. What took so long?" smiled Jassu.

"Nothing. Just didn't hear, that's all," he said, returning to the living room and to the center of the circle. He had to clear his mind for minute. He hadn't expected to enjoy that as much as he had. He took a deep breath, and spun the bottle. It stopped on LeBlanc. Shit. He'd been hoping to get Yuna. But, as he looked into LeBlanc's cleavage, he decided it was still a good choice.

"Let's go, love," she beckoned. He got up and followed her out into the hall.

"So, how was it?" Talynda asked Paine, behind Keepa's back.

Paine shrugged. "It was alright," she said, though her heart was still pounding. When their time was up, the couple returned. Paine noticed LeBlanc's lipstick was smeared. LeBlanc sat in the circle. _Who's the next lucky guy tonight? _She thought to herself. She spun and it landed on Gippal.

"I think it skipped," Rikku complained.

LeBlanc gave her a friendly smile. "Don't worry, love. I'll take it easy on him," she promised.

Rikku wasn't happy as she watched the pair head off. What a stupid game! She turned to Yuna. Yuna tried to give her a reassuring smile. Rikku nodded. She was fine. Yuna looked around the circle, trying to catch Tidus' eye. He was thumb wrestling Datto. What if she spun and it landed on him? What if it didn't? She looked at Lulu, really wondering what she was doing here. But, Lulu had given no explanation. She just asked Yuna for a ride. Gippal and LeBlanc returned. Gippal sat in the circle and smiled at everyone.

He gave the bottle a nice long spin. On Lulu. Gippal looked at Rikku quickly. He knew that Lulu was a close friend of hers. Rikku swallowed nervously. Lulu offered her a weak smile and followed Gippal out into the hall.

"Maybe they won't kiss, huh?" Rikku asked Yuna.

"Sure. When Mt. Gagazet overheats," Letty muttered, sitting between the two. Rikku elbowed him. He laughed.

"I'm just kidding, Rikku. Take it easy."

Lulu and Gippal returned, with at least ten minutes to spare. He winked at Rikku and took his seat again. Lulu placed her hand on the bottle. Letty watched with intensity. He liked a girl with a nice rack. Talynda talked animatedly in Wakka's ear, but he kept his eyes on the bottle. Without realizing it, he wished it would land on him. It did.

_Praise be to Yevon, ya!_

Wakka made his way to the hall closet quickly and held the door open for Lulu. He was surprised that he wasn't the least bit nervous. But, then, it was just kissing. He closed the door. Lulu appeared a little nervous, though.

"Wakka, I'm not sure this is a good idea. Seymour's already on the war path."

Wakka shrugged. "It's just a kiss, Lu. No big deal."

She nodded. "Okay. Just a kiss. No big deal."

He put his hands on her waist and brought her closer. He leaned down. She licked her lips in anticipation and closed her eyes. Wakka was surprised when she pulled him quickly to her lips. He responded just as passionately. This was so hot. He felt her tongue slip between his lips, and he slid his hands up her back, under her shirt. He was surprised she wasn't wearing a bra, yet very excited about it. He began to pull her down to the carpet. Lulu didn't resist as he laid her on her back gently. There was a knock on the door. Wakka grimaced. _Damn. Did ten minutes really go that fast? _She looked at him, hesitantly.

"Should we go?" she asked breathlessly.

"Nah. Let's just do the damn thing," he said, as another knock sounded on the door. Wakka ignored it, as his lips devoured her neck.

"We better go, Wakka," Lulu said, very reluctantly.

Making out with Wakka had been the best thing to happen to her all week long. Wakka sighed deeply, and stood up. He helped her up and they left the closet. Rikku noticed how red Lulu's face was when they returned. Talynda frowned. _What were they doing in there? Jassu had to knock twice. _Wakka took the bottle and gave it a careless spin. It landed on Phoenix. He groaned inwardly. _I've already kissed those lips, ya._ But, he left to go with her. Lulu gave Yuna a dying-to-tell-you look. Yuna wondered what had happened.

Tidus stifled a yawn. When was this game going to be over? It wasn't much fun when you didn't get kissed, and he had yet to go in the closet. Even Datto had been kissed twice. He wondered why he had even let Datto and Wakka talk him into coming here. He knew that Baralai hated his guts. But, Baralai hadn't paid him any attention tonight. He watched Phoenix spin the bottle. It landed on Letty. Letty hopped to his feet, glad to finally be getting some action. He looked at Yuna. She was talking to Rikku about something. Maybe he could find a way for the game to end soon. He looked up at the clock. 11:15.

Letty returned and gave the bottle a good spin. It landed on LeBlanc.

"Spin again, Letty. Everybody gets at least one turn," Baralai said.

Letty shrugged and spun again. It landed on Yuna.

Baralai's eyes bulged. "The first spin counts," he demanded.

Letty shook his head and laughed. "No way, Baralai. Rules are rules."

He got up quickly and waited for Yuna. Tidus watched them go out to the hall. He thought that Yuna would probably enjoy kissing Letty. She seemed to like him. He caught Wakka staring at him with interest. He nodded, and looked away. Time seemed to pass by slowly. Or Tidus' eyes never left the clock. Finally, Yuna and Letty returned. He tried to judge whether or not she had enjoyed herself. She seemed pleased, and so did he. He grinned at the other Abes. _Why the hell do I even care? _He asked himself, and yet, now his eyes were really on the bottle with interest. Yuna put her hand on the bottle and gave it a short spin. It landed on Talynda.

"Go for it. I'd like to see that," Keepa said.

Yuna smirked at him, and spun the bottle again. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she watched it. It was slowing down. On…Tidus. She swallowed, though she wanted to jump up and down. She stood up slowly and decided to let him lead the way. Like most of the boys, he wore only pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. He held the door open and she stepped inside slowly. She couldn't believe this was happening. The moment she had waited for…for so long. He stayed near the door. They stared at each other for a moment. _What was he waiting for? I've only got ten minutes!_

Tidus knew this was wrong on so many levels, but he couldn't pass up on his opportunity to kiss Yuna. He stepped up to her. She swallowed nervously again, and looked up at him. Maybe she should say something. Let him know he was wasting time. He leaned down to her ever so slowly. She lifted her chin, and closed her eyes. She could hear her heart beating in her chest maddeningly. Just when she was about to tell him to hurry up, she felt his lips touch hers. She felt a delicious tingle all the way down her spine. He was kissing her, just as she imagined he would. Slowly, softly. Somewhere along the way, the kiss became increasingly more passionate, as she reached up and put her arms around his neck. He pulled her tightly against him. She felt the tip of his tongue, and trembled. Someone knocked on the door. Tidus ignored it, deepening his kiss. Her hands reached under his shirt to touch his back. It felt warm to her touch. His tongue slipped into her mouth slowly. She was surprised, but he hadn't thrust it in like Baralai had done. Her whole body was on fire, as she for once in her life, slipped her tongue into his mouth. Someone knocked on the door again. They both ignored it, neither realizing just how hungry the other was for this moment. He moved to press her back against the wall. She felt something press against her, through his thin pajama pants. She'd felt it too many times before not to realize what it was. In fact, she'd felt it when Letty had just kissed her. But unlike then, she was glad to know that she had stirred such desire in him, as much as he had in her. Someone really pounded the door. Tidus reluctantly broke apart, breathing heavily. Yuna, trying to catch her breath, walked over and opened the door. Four Abes stood there. Baralai in the front.

"What's going on? Is everything ok?" he asked, pretending he was concerned. He noticed how red both of their faces were, their breathing ragged. And he didn't like it one bit. Yuna nodded.

"Yeah. We just didn't hear the knock. Sorry."

She followed them back to the living room, as Tidus went down the hall to the bathroom. Lulu was looking at her anxiously. She sighed deeply and took her seat. Making out with Tidus in person was much better than her dreams.

"Where is Tidus? It's his spin," Baralai asked, still looking angry.

"He went to the bathroom," Botta said.

"Well, you spin. We'll go on without him," Baralai said, not really caring if Tidus got another kiss tonight or not. Botta spun and got Calli. She gave Datto a sheepish smile and headed off. The game continued on, until everyone had their turn. Yuna had gone again with Jassu. After the game ended, everyone broke into small groups, chatting amongst themselves.

"What was it like, you two?" Rikku asked excitedly, snuggling in her sleeping bag.

Lulu smiled. "It was better than I thought it would be. If there hadn't been a time limit, I might have slept with Wakka in that closet."

Rikku and Yuna's eyes bulged. "Lulu!"

"I really wanted it," she admitted, surprised herself.

"Yuna?" Rikku asked, watching her cousin turn red.

"Wow. That's the only word I can use to describe it."

Rikku laughed, happy for her friends. She looked over at Gippal, who patted his sleeping bag. She swallowed. She knew if she slept in his bag, he was going to want to make out. But, she simply couldn't resist him.

"I'll see you guys in the morning," she smiled at them, and left her bag, skipping over to join Gippal.

"Would you like to sleep with me, Wakka?" Talynda asked, opening her red sleeping bag. _Not really_. Everyone was starting to settle in. The good thing about being in the spacious living room of the Griffins home was that there would be no sex. He got into the sleeping bag with Talynda. She turned and pressed her back against him as she snuggled in. He sighed and threw a glance in Lulu's direction. She was lying in her sleeping bag, her head turned in his direction. They stared at each other across the living room. Talynda grabbed his arm and put it around her.

Yuna tossed and turned during the night. She woke up suddenly, disoriented. _Where am I? Right. I'm on Baralai's living room floor. _Letty slept peacefully to her left, and Botta was on her right. She didn't remember them being there when she fell asleep. She thought she was lying next to Lulu. The room was dark, except for the glow of the fire burning in the fireplace. She sat up. Where was Lulu? She didn't see her anywhere.

She looked around. Wakka was lying on his back, snoring loudly. Talynda lay across his chest, snoring even louder. Yuna stifled a giggle, as she crept softly across the carpet. Datto and Calli were sleeping peacefully by the bar. Baralai was stretched out on the long couch. She smiled to herself as she noticed Rikku and Gippal sleep, facing each other with their arms around each other. Jassu was on the sofa. Phoenix and LeBlanc were near the fireplace. LeBlanc with a sleeping mask on, Phoenix with cold cream on her face. She inched toward the door. She was thirsty. She stepped over Keepa and into the hall.

She walked down to the kitchen, pushing the door open softly. She couldn't find the light. She felt around for the cupboards. It took her a moment to find a glass. She used her free hand to find the refrigerator. She found it and smiled to herself. She used its light to pour some juice. She took a few swallows as her eyes looked around. She almost dropped the glass and screamed. Somehow she missed him, but Tidus was lying on his stomach, in his sleeping bag by the sink. He was snoring softly.

She sat her glass down on the counter. She closed the refrigerator and allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness. The pale moonlight spilled in through the window above of the sink. She walked over to Tidus slowly and bent down to him. She reached and ran her fingers slowly through his hair.

He stopped snoring. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked in a dangerous tone. She was surprised, but then she realized he couldn't see her.

"It's me. Yuna," she explained.

"Oh. I thought you were…never mind…what are you doing?"

"I came to get some juice and saw you here. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay." She stood up to leave.

"Yuna?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to sleep with me?"

He chuckled to himself. He could tell her mind was racing with his question.

"I mean, in the sleeping bag. Just sleeping," he assured her. She finally regained her breath. His question had thrown her. Though to be honest, she was slightly disappointed that's not what he meant.

"Okay," she agreed, getting down on her knees.

He opened the bag and made room for her. She turned on her side, and he wrapped an arm around her. She couldn't believe it. Neither could he. She didn't know it, but he was really wondering what he should do about Darcy. She was scheduled to come tomorrow afternoon. After kissing Yuna, he was certain he wanted more of it. These troubled thoughts guided him into sleep again. Yuna slept soundly in his arms.

In the morning, Baralai found them on his kitchen floor. And he wasn't happy about it in the least bit. He'd actually peeled the sleeping bag back to make sure they were fully dressed. He hoped Tidus wasn't going to be a problem with him winning the bet. He wasn't going to tell the other Abes about this. He was going to have to up his game a little bit more. Then, an even more shocking thought occurred to him as he sipped some juice. _Was Tidus in on the bet? Perhaps Wakka had told him, hoping he would win. It would be just like Wakka to do that. He'd said the bet was off, but he hadn't returned any damn money. Clever. But not enough. _

**Author's Note: Ah, the end of Ch.8. As usual, I hope you are still enjoying the story. R & R. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning: This story is rated M for the strong language, sexual content, and violence. So, if any of this offends you, it's not my fault. **

Ch. 9 Just Friends

Seymour waited patiently in the cold air. _She'd better not keep me waiting long_, he thought. He couldn't even believe she was here, at Baralai's house. Who had given her permission to come? He sure hadn't. It was almost twelve thirty, but he didn't care. Lulu had sounded as though she was awakening from her sleep when he had called. He looked around the dark street. That was one thing he could appreciate about Baralai's home. It was secluded, settled at the very end of a steep hill. He put his hands on the steering wheel, feeling his patience wear out. Would he have to go up there and wake the whole house? He would if he had to. Finally, he saw a figure coming down the walkway. She hadn't even informed him that she was coming here. Just like that birthday party. He owed her for that, too.

Lulu opened the door and sat in the passenger seat, her scarlet eyes bleary and slightly unfocused. She couldn't believe he had called and demanded she leave.

He didn't say anything; he put the car in gear. As he drove through East Zanarkand, he debated what her punishment should be.

"Seymour, before you say anything…"

"SILENCE!"

He hated having his thoughts interrupted. Besides, he hadn't given her permission to speak, anyway. Did Lulu think he needed her? He had been attracted to her mainly because she was the smartest girl in the school. He thought she was the only girl who wasn't beneath him. Sure, Calli Morgenstern was on the debate team with him, but he knew she was giving her favors to the guidance counselor. Some rake named Isaaru. Calli had called him to discuss the next debate. She had let it slip that Lulu was here. Seymour had thought that she was spending the night with Yuna. She had lied to him.

He drove to a secluded alley and turned the car off. Lulu swallowed. Why had he come here? Why wasn't he taking her home?

"Lulu, I'm going to have to teach you not to defy me. I told you to stay away from Wakka, and there you are in your damn pajamas, probably in the guy's sleeping bag. I won't have it. All I ask from you is simple obedience, and you keep failing to give me just that. You told me you were going to be at Yuna's…"

"No, I didn't. I said I wasn't going to be home," she insisted. She had never said exactly where she was going to be.

"You lied to me. And now, you're going to have to find out the hard way not to do it again."

"Seymour, if you touch me again, I swear…" she threatened shakily.

He reached over quickly, putting both of his hands around her neck quickly. "You'll do what? Did you forget who the fuck I am? I'll never go to jail. Open your mouth to anyone, and you won't make it to your eighteenth birthday," he threatened. He was confident that he would never see the inside of a Zanarkand prison because his father was the mayor. He wasn't kidding about killing her, either. He'd drag her body someplace and hide it. There were a trillion places in Spira where she would never be discovered.

He squeezed her neck so tightly that she was gasping for air. He watched longer than necessary before he finally relaxed his fingers.

"So, tell me, Lulu. What happened tonight at this sleepover?"

"Nothing. We just hung out," she said, breathing deeply trying to catch her breath.

"You're lying. I can tell when you're lying."

Her hands would wring together nervously when she was, like they were right now.

"What have you done?" he demanded.

"Nothing…I mean, they played a game…"

"What kind of damn game?"

Her mind couldn't think of anything innocent enough. Of course, he already knew what game. He just wanted to see if she were going to lie about it.

"Kissing?" he asked, his tone becoming very dangerous. She wondered why he couldn't be more like other teenagers, having fun and not making such big deals out of everything.

"Yes," she admitted. He didn't say anything for the longest moment. Then, she felt a sharp blow to her stomach. It hurt too much for her to cry out. She felt another one. Then, another one, each one more powerful than the last. She doubled over on the seat.

"Who were you kissing? Wakka?" he screamed as he opened her coat, revealing her silk pajamas. She had thrown her overnight bag into the backseat. He was going to teach her good tonight. She heard him unzip his pants.

"Seymour, no!"

"It's for your own good, Lulu. You have to learn."

* * *

"Well, what should we do for Thanksgiving, Yuna? We could go over to Cid's again this year if you want," said Braska, at breakfast on Sunday morning. Braska really didn't care what they did for the holiday. He just didn't enjoy holidays anymore. But, he wanted Yuna to be happy, at least. He knew deep down that he was failing her as a father. He just couldn't get over his grief. He'd even gone to grief counseling in the past, and it hadn't helped. Talking about his wife, Jacinda, just made things worse. It was a mere miracle that he still held his job as bank manager of Zanarkand Savings and Loans. His boss, Wen Kinoc, had been very understanding. He knew that Braska was having a hard time dealing with his wife's death. He was glad that Yuna was a well behaved young lady. Braska didn't need more problems.

Yuna didn't reply right away. This was her first Thanksgiving without her mother. It would be hard for Braska, but her as well.

"Let's go to Cid's," she said, mainly because she didn't want to be here. She'd thought that her father would want to move from this townhouse, but he hadn't. Perhaps there were too many memories here for him, and she should convince him to move. Besides, even if she made an attempt to prepare their Thanksgiving meal, it would just depress her. She and her mother used to do it together.

"So, we'll go to Cid's. I'm sure he won't mind. I'll let him know. How's the dancing going, honey?"

"Fine, but it's coming to an end soon," she said, mentally reminding herself that she had only about three weeks left before the semester ended. However, she wasn't concerned. She was certain that she would be spending more time with Tidus, nonetheless. For the thousandth time, she replayed their kiss in her mind. She hadn't spoken to Tidus since yesterday morning, but she wasn't worried.

"I can't wait to see it. I bet it's really beautiful," Braska said, getting lost in his memories of when he and Jacinda used to go to the ballroom in Zanarkand Square to dance. He loved formal dancing. He'd never been one to get down and boogey, anyway. Kids today.

"It's…different," Yuna shrugged, as her phone began to ring. It was sitting next to her breakfast plate. She glanced at it. Baralai. What could Baralai want so early in the morning? It was barely eleven. She decided to let the voice mail pick it up. It was rare that she got to share breakfast with Braska, so she wasn't going to ruin it.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" he asked, bringing his coffee mug to his lips.

"It can wait until I'm done eating," she insisted. He smiled. He knew she was just humoring him, and she was probably dying to take that call. He wished she didn't feel responsible for him. He was the adult. He was supposed to be responsible for her and her welfare.

After breakfast, Braska went into his home office to do some work. Yuna cleared away the breakfast dishes and hummed to herself. When she was done, she deliberated. _What do I do now? _She picked up her phone and listened to the message that Baralai had left, inviting her to The Shiva tonight. She liked going to that particular nightclub as much as anyone else, but she wanted to keep her schedule clear in case…in case Tidus called. She wanted to call him, but decided against it.

* * *

"So, what happened to you Friday night, Lulu?" asked Rikku, leaning to take a quick sip of her cappuccino. Lulu stirred her own without replying right away. She hated lying to her friends, but she was too embarrassed to tell the truth, too. They were at the mall downtown. After getting approval from Seymour, she had met with Rikku and Yuna. She had decided to just do what he wanted.

"Oh. I, um, Seymour called," she shrugged. Rikku gave her a smile. Whenever Seymour called, Lulu went running. _He must be pretty good, _she thought to herself. He was too stiff for her tastes. She was sure that he and Lulu shared similar interests, though. They were both pretty smart.

"Have you heard from Tidus?" Lulu asked Yuna, deliberately changing the subject. She didn't want to think about Seymour today. Or any day. He had begun to repulse her with his violence and jealousy. After he had violated her on Friday night, he drove her home, chatting as if nothing had happened. She had immediately gone into her bathroom and took a scalding shower. She _still_ felt dirty.

Yuna gave her a small smile. "No. I want to call him, but…you know," she shrugged.

"Yeah. You don't want to seem like the one that's missing the other," said Lulu.

"Hmmm. He hasn't called you, either. If both of you keep playing this game, you won't have to worry about it. You'll go to college, graduate, get married and start a family, wondering if the other is missing you," said Rikku, licking her spoon.

"It's different. I can't explain it," said Yuna. She really couldn't. It was like they wanted to be together…and yet, neither wanted to make the move. She had expected him to initiate something simply because he was the boy.

Lulu took out a fashion magazine and began to flip through it casually. Rikku scooted over to join her. They were sitting at a table that was placed next to the baluster which overlooked the downstairs portion of the mall. Yuna allowed herself to daydream for a moment, as she propped an elbow on the baluster. She wondered again what Tidus was doing with his day. Oddly, at that moment she saw a familiar little dark haired girl strolling across the lobby. Her hand was dragging an even more familiar blond boy. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Well, she no longer had to wonder what Tidus was doing with his day. He was at the mall, just like her, hanging out with his girlfriend. His girlfriend. She watched the pair until they were out of view. For reasons she couldn't explain, she had thought that Tidus might have broken up with this girl. Apparently, he had no intention of doing so, meaning he didn't want her as much as she thought he did.

"Yuna, your cappuccino's getting cold," warned Rikku.

"Oh. Thanks, Rikku," she said.

"Hey, ladies, want some company?" they heard and looked up at Baralai, Gippal, and Letty. Gippal turned a chair around and straddled it.

"Now's really not a good time," Lulu apologized, gathering her things. Sure, she wanted to hang out, but the last thing she needed was for this to get back to Seymour.

"I'm Lulu's ride. Sorry," apologized Yuna. She began after her.

"Yuna, wait," called Baralai. He walked over quickly."I left you a message about tonight."

She thought about it for a moment. Since she knew for certain that Tidus wouldn't be spending his night alone, neither was she. "Okay, sure. Do you want me to meet you there?"

"No. I'll pick you up."

"Okay, bye Baralai." She turned and ran to catch up to Lulu. Baralai returned to the table, noticing that Gippal and Rikku had disappeared.

"Where did they go?" he asked Letty.

"Rikku mentioned something about wanting some new lingerie, and he grabbed her hand and took off."

Baralai sat at the table. He was satisfied. He'd gotten his date with Yuna for tonight. Letty gave him an agitated look.

"Did you just ask Yuna out?" he asked.

Baralai smiled. "Sure did. And guess what? She accepted."

"This doesn't mean a damn thing. I can call her and invite her someplace better for tonight."

"Good luck," said Baralai, looking over the balcony. The waitress came over and gathered the empty mugs.

"No tip?" she asked with disbelief. Letty raised an eyebrow at Baralai and shrugged.

Baralai grudgingly reached for his wallet. He gave the girl a nice tip. "Why don't you give me your number?" he asked her.

"I have a boyfriend."

"So? What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Aren't you Baralai, star player for the Abes?"

He nodded. "That's right." She squealed, and jotted her number down on a napkin for him. He put it in his pocket and smiled at Letty. His smile disappeared. Not two feet away, he spotted Tidus. Holding the hand of a short, pretty dark haired girl. "Come on, Letty."

* * *

Tidus strolled the mall corridors as Darcy led him along. She had told him she wanted to come to the mall to buy him a belated birthday present. The same present she supposedly was sending must have slipped her mind.

"Darcy, we've been all over the mall today," he complained. He didn't really care whether she bought him a present or not. He was planning to tell her soon that he didn't want to go out with her anymore. And no kind of sexual contact was going to change his mind.

"I know. I just want to get you something that you'll like," she insisted. _Can you get me Yuna? _His mind couldn't help but ask. He was certain that Yuna really did like him and wouldn't keep playing games. He was planning to break things off with Darcy and send her back to Luca, giving him the rest of his break to enjoy.

"Tidus? Is that you, man?" he heard and looked to his left. Letty and Baralai were standing there. Letty walked over to him, while Baralai remained by the benches.

"Hey, Letty."

"Hey. Who's your little friend? I don't think I've seen her around our school," said Letty, looking down at the petite girl. She smiled up at him.

"I'm Darcy. His girlfriend," she told him.

"Oh, yeah, the girlfriend from Luca," said Letty, remembering. The information had been so unimportant the first time he'd heard it, that he had forgotten.

Darcy nodded. "That's right."

"She's spending the break with me," explained Tidus.

"Well, don't let me hold you up. You kids have fun," said Letty. Tidus nodded at him, and continued to allow Darcy to lead him around. Baralai walked over immediately.

"Who the hell was she?" he asked.

"His girlfriend. I remember him mentioning her last summer."

"I don't." This was all the confirmation Baralai needed. Now he knew for sure that Tidus was in on the bet. _Too bad you're not going to win, cocksucker. _That guy had a lot of nerve flirting with Yuna when he already had a girlfriend.

"Let's go to the arcade," said Letty. Baralai nodded, as he mentally planned his date with Yuna tonight. He was thinking he should call and ask her to dinner instead. It was more romantic.

* * *

"Well, that was a pretty good movie. It had everything I like. Blood, explosions, and sex," said Jecht, as he stood up and stretched. He loved these kinds of movies.

"It was a good movie," said Zalora, kissing his cheek. Tidus stared, but he didn't say anything. It had been uncomfortable enough watching a very erotic sex scene with them present. Jecht had suggested the movie, deliberately not reading why it was Rated R.

"Well, let's go up to bed, missus. Tomorrow's a big day for you," he told Zalora. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and it was his favorite holiday. He could smell the turkey right now.

"I'll be up early to help you, Mrs. Stone," volunteered Darcy.

"Darcy, you don't have to do that."

"Let her help if she wants," said Jecht, secretly wondering why she was even here. He guessed his stupid son hadn't had the balls to break things off with her yet. He knew he liked that Yuna girl. He left with Zalora.

"Hey, Darcy, we need to talk," said Tidus, as soon as he heard them going up the stairs. She fidgeted.

"What about?"

"Us. I didn't want to bring this up with the holiday being tomorrow and all, but…" he paused, watching her double over in pain.

"Can this wait until tomorrow, Ti? I have cramps from hell," she said. She really did. Her period had started that morning. She was a little upset that Tidus hadn't made a move on her since she arrived. Now, it was too late. Another cramp made her grimace.

"Yeah, sure. Go on up to bed," he told her. He watched her hobble out of the room. He sighed. Every time he brought this up, she weaseled out of it. Sure, he wasn't going to challenge whether or not she really had cramps, but it was quite convenient. He wanted to call Yuna, but rationalized that he would see her on Saturday.

His phone beeped. He looked down at it and noticed a text from Yuna. _Hey. What's up for Saturday? My place or yours? _Without even thinking about it, he texted her back. _Yours. Is that ok? _She said it would be fine. He was glad. He didn't want her coming here, where Darcy would no doubt interrogate her. He realized he hadn't seen Yuna in four days, and he was suffering from withdrawal. He got up and made his way up to his room. He noticed the hall bathroom door shut tightly. He ignored it and stepped into his room, closing the door. Almost immediately he noticed the pictures on his wall rattling.

_Did they have to fuck every night?_ His agitated brain screamed. And that's what it was. Jecht never made love as far as his ears could tell.

* * *

"Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?" Lulu asked, as she entered Wakka's home. He started to close the door, but stopped. Was that Seymour in that car out front? If it was, was he going to sit there for three hours? He closed the door hastily. He took Lulu's coat and hung it up.

"Yeah, it was okay. Did you and your Mom have turkey, ya?"

Lulu sat on the plaid couch. "Yes. It was nice."

Wakka sat across from her. "How's your shoulder?"

"Fine," she replied, but she wasn't so sure about her abdomen. There were several places that was still sore. Auron suddenly appeared. Lulu looked up at him.

"Hello," she said.

He looked her over from behind the rim of his sunglasses. He bet she was the source of many teenage boys' wet dreams. Perhaps grown men, too.

"Hello. You must be Lulu. I've heard a lot about you."

Wakka turned suddenly to give him a surprised look. He hadn't told him a damn thing about Lulu.

"I'm heading to the restaurant. I'll see you tonight. Clean up _whatever _you mess up," said Auron, putting on his heavy coat. He peered through the window. "Who's parked out front?"

"Seymour. My boyfriend."

"Well, why doesn't he just come in? I don't like people sitting around my house. Especially ones I don't know. Never mind. I'll tell him on my way out," he said, opening the door to do just that. Wakka did not want Seymour in his house. But, to his surprise, Seymour drove off. Good.

"He's gone," he told Lulu.

"He'll be back," she said, visibly relaxing.

"Well, I guess we should practice," said Wakka. She gave him a mischievous smile.

"We could…or we could watch The Return of the Marlboro."

Wakka raised an eyebrow. "That's still at the theater, ya? How'd you get it?" he asked, watching her take the tape out of her purse.

She gave him a secret smile. "I have my ways." He didn't doubt it, finding her even more intriguing.

"Well, do you want to get some popcorn and sodas first?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Okay."

He went down the hall to the kitchen. She walked over to the curtains and closed them, giving the room a darker appearance. If you were going to watch a horror film, you had to do it in the dark. She sat on the plaid couch again, unbelievably glad that Seymour wasn't sitting outside like a watch dog.

A few minutes passed until Wakka finally returned with a bowl of popcorn and the soda. He noticed that she had drawn the curtains closed, but he didn't comment on it. He joined her on the couch, placing the bowl between them. He picked up the remote, and the movie was underway.

Halfway through, he turned to her. "Hey, Lu, can I ask you a personal question?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

"How come you're with a guy like Seymour? I mean, you could do so much betta, ya."

"I don't know, Wakka. We've been together since sophomore year. I guess it would be weird for me to date someone else."

He nodded, but he still didn't understand why a great girl like Lulu was wasting her time on a loser like Seymour.

"Wakka? How come you don't have a girlfriend? Its senior year and you're still single. How come?" she asked, reaching into the bowl, her eyes still on the television.

"I just…um…you know…haven't met a girl that I wanted for my girlfriend, you know."

She turned to face him. "No one? What about Talynda? I think she likes you."

"We're just friends, ya. She's not someone I'd want for a girlfriend."

Well, he'd thought he'd made up his mind about it. But, the more time he spent with Lulu, he was beginning to change his mind. He'd entered high school single, and he'd made a vow to stay that way. He'd been pretty successful. Sure, there had been some girls that had tried to make him theirs, but he'd successfully avoid it.

"Well, what kind of girl could be your girlfriend?"

"Someone that's easy to talk to, ya. Someone that's sweet, but can take care of herself, you know. I don't like cutesy girls. I like girls that speak their mind, someone like…" he broke off, catching himself. _Someone like you. _

She nodded. "I know what you mean. I thought Seymour was what I was looking for in a guy, but…"

"He's not the kind of guy you want anymore, ya?"

She shook her head, as tears came to her scarlet eyes.

"What's the matter, Lu?" he asked with concern, pausing the movie. She really wanted to tell someone what Seymour had done, and was still in fact doing to her.

"Wakka…"

Suddenly there was a knock on his front door. He got up and opened it. Seymour stood there.

Wordlessly, Wakka allowed him to enter.

* * *

Tidus walked slowly up the walkway to Yuna's townhouse. He noticed Braska's car in the driveway. Darcy hadn't been pleased when he denied her request to come along. He paused at the door and rang the doorbell. It swung open a few minutes later by Braska. He smiled at him.

"Hi. Afternoon. Come on in," he greeted, holding the door open. Tidus stared at him, surprised. He seemed like a totally different man than the one he had picked up off the floor in a drunken stupor. He walked past him. Braska closed the door.

"Yuna's in the kitchen," he said, heading toward the staircase.

"Okay."

Tidus made his way down the hall. He pushed the kitchen door open slowly. Yuna was sitting at the counter, eating a piece of cheesecake. She turned toward him.

"Hey."

"Hey," he said, walking over, taking notice that she was dressed in an oversized red t-shirt and black sweatpants. He'd never seen her so dressed down before. She was even barefoot. Her hair was up in its ponytail, though a little messy today. She wasn't wearing a drop of makeup.

"Want a bite?" she offered.

"Yeah, sure," he said easily. She reached over and grabbed an extra fork and handed it to him. She had decided that she was just going to be friends with Tidus, and treat him no different than she did other boys. And it had relieved a lot of stress from her mind and heart. He took the fork.

"Where'd you get the cake?" he asked, cutting a piece and putting it in his mouth.

"From this restaurant that Jassu and I went to last night." He choked. He began to cough.

"Are you okay?" she asked, patting him gently on the back. He nodded.

"Yeah. What restaurant was that?" he asked.

"Do you like it? We went to Marie's. Its downtown. You should take Darcy sometime," she said, getting up to put the saucer in the sink. He nodded. So, that was it. She was trying to make him jealous. It shouldn't have been working, but it was. _He _wanted to take her out to dinner.

"So, what would you like to do?" she asked, wiping her hands on a paper towel.

"How'd you get paint on your shirt?" he asked, noticing the still damp blue paint.

"Oh. I'm trying to paint a picture of the sky. I've been working on it since summer. Every time I try to finish, I get distracted."

"Well, don't let me distract you. You can finish painting."

"I can't work under glass."

"Is it good?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I think it's coming along well." Braska had liked it. Even Rikku thought she could very well become a good artist some day.

"Can I see it?"

"No. You're not coming in my room while my father is awake."

"I really want to see that painting, Yuna," he said, backing up toward the door. Yuna noticed the wicked grin on his face.

"Don't you even think about going in there! You're going to get me in trouble!"

Tidus backed through the door quickly and made a run down the hall toward Yuna's room. She shrieked and ran after him. He opened the door to her room before she could catch him. She tackled the back of his legs before he reached her bed. He fell in surprise.

"I told you not to come in here! Do you promise to behave?" she asked, on his back, and taking a handful of his hair.

"Ouch. Okay. I'll behave. You're tougher than you look." She released him. He moved quickly, pinning her on her back.

"Let me up!"

"I'm going to see that painting. Now, you promise you won't attack me again," he warned. Yuna struggled under his weight.

"Okay, I promise." He stood up and took a step toward the easel by the window. Before he could get around the bed and take a closer look, Yuna jumped on his back.

"I lied!" she told him gleefully. "Come out of my room now!"

"Yuna, you promised!"

"I lied!"

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, flipping her on the bed. He wasn't going to show her any mercy now. He sat on the bed and grabbed her foot.

"What are you doing?"she squealed, as he began to tickle her foot. She squealed again, struggling to free the foot, but he had a firm hold.

"Do you promise not to attack me again?"

"I promise! I swear!" she screamed. He squeezed her foot a bit longer, enjoying her discomfort.

"Do you mean it?" he taunted.

"Yes! I mean it! Please stop it!"

"Okay. I'm holding you to that," he warned, releasing her foot. She tossed a pillow at him.

"That's attacking," he warned.

Despite herself, Yuna couldn't help smiling at the ceiling. This guy was crazy. It was nice to be around a boy that was interested in making her laugh for a change. Most of the boys she went out on dates with were too busy trying to impress her to have fun.

"Now, let me see this stupid painting," he said, getting up.

"Stupid?" demanded Yuna, enraged. Did he know how much dedication it took to perfect a painting? She tossed her other pillow at his head. He turned back to her slowly.

"I warned you," he said, putting a knee back on the bed. Yuna tried to wiggle away, but he caught her easily, his fingers mercilessly tickling her. She screamed.

"What the devil is going on in here?" they both heard.

Tidus backed off the bed quickly. Braska stood in the doorway, and he didn't look pleased to see a young man in his daughter's bed. Yuna got off the bed quickly.

"Nothing, Father. I…um…Tidus wanted to see my painting."

_And what was he looking for on the bed?_

"I think you should return to another part of the house," said Braska turning to leave. Yuna waited for Tidus to walk around her bed toward the door. She slapped his arm.

"You got me in trouble!" she hissed.

"He didn't seem mad. He seemed pretty calm to me. Another girl's dad would have punched my lights out." Yuna didn't say anything. Tidus didn't know Braska as well as she did. He was usually his calmest when he was angry. She walked into the living room and settled on the sofa. Tidus sat in the recliner.

"I'm sorry, Yuna." She stared at him, noticing that his blue hoodie matched his eyes perfectly. She thought that it was time to lay down some ground rules with Tidus regarding their…status.

"Tidus, I think that we should…um…we're friends, right?"

He shrugged. "Yeah."

"I want to keep it that way. You have a girlfriend, and I'm not really looking for a boyfriend," she lied.

He stared at her without replying immediately. These were _not_ the words he wanted to hear. He could understand that she wasn't looking for a boyfriend, that much was pretty obvious. Now, he understood. She didn't want to give up the flirting and be a one boy type of girl. He nodded.

"Okay, Yuna. If that's the way you want it," he told her.

She frowned. _Why the hell didn't he just say, I'll break up with my girlfriend if you want me to_? Because he obviously had no intention of doing so. They sat in awkward silence for the longest moment, both of them secretly thinking about the kiss they'd had in Baralai's closet.

"So, did you have a nice Thanksgiving?" he finally asked.

"It was…interesting," she said, thinking of no other way to describe it. Her father, Cid, and Brother had gotten drunk right after dinner. She and Rikku had been very uncomfortable watching them. Especially when Brother seemed to forget that she was his cousin, and started hitting on her.

"How was yours?" she asked him.

Tidus couldn't think of a way to give it a good definition. Jecht, who insisted he knew how to carve a turkey, had ruined the turkey yet another year. Zalora had burned two of the pies because Jecht had pulled her away from the kitchen and upstairs. And to top things off, Darcy got sick at the table and threw up in his lap.

"It was fine," he lied.

* * *

"Look, there's no need for this to be awkward. You don't like me and I don't like you, so let's not let that little kiss change anything, okay?" asked Paine, as she put her hands on her hips. Baralai paused behind his father's fully stocked bar.

"I haven't even thought about that kiss," he said, dropping cubes of ice into their glasses. He'd invited Paine over because he was sick of her damn chocobo farm…and her. He hadn't expected her to come to his house for the sleepover, thus making it impossible for him to avoid spending time with her today.

"I haven't lost any sleep over it, either. I just want to make sure things are back to normal."

She watched him finish fixing their drinks. She shook her head. _What a fucking spoiled, self-centered brat. _Baralai's parents obviously had a lot of money. She could tell that just by looking around their home. The Persian rugs, the expensive oil paintings, the sculptures. She also knew that he bought his favorite hoodies from The Valefor, the most expensive clothing store in North Zanarkand. He was wearing a white one today, his headband matching to perfection. She tossed off a thought that suggested the color looked good on him against his dark skin.

"So, how come you stayed while your folks went to Bevelle?" she asked, sitting on the expensive black leather sofa. He looked at her from the bar.

"I just get tired of the traveling. Besides, it wasn't my idea. My mother's parents are in Bevelle, so that's why they wanted to go there."

"Don't you like your grandparents? I'm sure you enjoy being spoiled by them," she said, bitterly.

He finished making the drinks without replying. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. His grandparents, his mother's parents, weren't particularly fond of children. Their thoughts were clearly _'Children should be seen and not heard. Or not even seen.' _They certainly never came to Zanarkand. He knew why. They didn't care for his father.

He walked over and handed her one of the drinks. She took a tentative sip. "Not bad. What is it?"

"It's better if you don't know," he said, sitting on the couch.

"How was your Thanksgiving?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, it was okay. I went over to Botta's," he shrugged. In fact, he had spent it alone. Not one member of the Abes had invited him over. He'd eaten a microwave dinner and watched movies.

"It was just me and Granny. We had a nice spread. She likes to cook."

"What'd you have?" he asked, just trying to make civil conversation, though he didn't really care.

"Oh, you know, the usual spread. But, Granny makes a hell of a good gooseberry pie."

He raised an interested eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. The meat is tender, the crust brown to perfection, you know…"

He really didn't. His mother never cooked. They ate out every night. Paine watched him lick his lips. Would he…? No, it was a stupid idea.

"What else did Granny make?" he asked, a low rumble coming from his stomach.

"Do you…would you…hell, do you want to go over there and get something to eat?"

"What?"

"Yeah. All we have to do is warm it up. There's plenty left."

"Your granny wouldn't mind?"

"Nah. She likes you. I have no idea why. Must be the old age."

"Yeah, must be. No woman is immune to my charm, young or old."

"I'm an exception to the rule then. Want something to damn eat or not?"

"Hell yeah. Let's go." They grabbed their heavy coats, and headed out.

* * *

"Gippal, I'm not so sure I can do this," admitted Rikku. They had both agreed to take this slowly, but in the meantime, Gippal made it clear that he needed some kind of satisfaction.

"You can do it, Rik. You're just thinking about it too much. And in case you didn't notice, me too. I'm ready."

Rikku swallowed. Maybe she could do it. Maybe she couldn't. She wasn't even sure how to begin. She looked down at it again. Sure, she had seen _it_ many times before. Gippal was not bashful about getting dressed in front of her.

"I tell you what. Would it make you feel better if I was restrained in some way?" he asked.

"Restrained? Like how?"

"You can tie my hands to the bed posts. Anything to make you feel more comfortable," he said, looking sincere. His heart beat began to pick up as his excitement grew. Not only was Rikku about to do something he'd been waiting for, for so long, but he'd be restrained and possibly gagged in the process. _Yeah, baby!_

"Okay. What can I use to bind your hands?" Rikku asked, thinking it might be easier if he couldn't use his hands, or his mouth. He reached for the drawer next to the bed. He pulled out two little white scarves.

"These should work."

_Why did he keep scarves in his bedside table_? She wondered. He put his hands up against the posts. She reached over and tied his right hand. Then, she tied the other. She took a deep breath. She could do this.

"You can pull my pants all the way off if you want to," he advised.

"No. Your little brother's taking a nap. He might wake up." He had completely forgotten that he was on babysitting duty. The door was locked, anyway.

"Okay, Rik, let's get started. He's falling asleep here."

He closed his eyes and waited. He felt the tip of her tongue. He moaned loudly, startling her.

"What?" she panicked.

"Oh, nothing, keep going." Rikku began again, trying not to imagine what her father would do if he saw her now. But, she had suggested this, as more of a learning experience for her. She wanted to know what pleased Gippal and what didn't. She'd done some reading on the subject.

_Is she sure she's never done this before? _He wondered, enjoying it a hell of a lot more than he thought he would. He was certain he would have to coach her through it.

"Yeah. Good girl," he said to her. Now, if she would clench her teeth into his skin, he'd be on cloud nine. Rikku continued in her own rhythm. There was a knock on the door.

"Gippal," called his five-year-old brother, Kyriako.

"Ignore the little fucker," he told Rikku.

"Gippal! I'm hungry!"

Rikku hesitated.

"Just a little more, Rik. I'm almost there." A loud moan escaped his lips.

"Gippal! I'm telling!" screamed Kyriako.

Rikku stopped and looked at the door. She got off the bed as they both heard Kyriako's voice in the other room. "Hi, Mommy! I'm hungry!"

"Where's Gippal?" they heard his mother ask. Rikku panicked, and hurried for the door.

"Rikku! My pants!" hissed Gippal, but she had already run through the door, closing it behind her quickly.

"Rikku!" He squirmed on the bed, trying to pull his hands free. It wasn't working.

"Gippal, where are you? How come…." His mother broke off, as her son's half naked body came into view.

"GIPPAL!"

* * *

Tidus got out of his car slowly, noticing the two police cars in front of his house. _Oh, no, Dad_, he panicked, running up to the house and through the back door quickly. Jecht greeted him in the hallway.

"Why are the police here?" he asked quickly.

Jecht shook his head. "It's bad stuff. Real bad."

Tidus immediately knew it wasn't his stepmother. Jecht was too calm, though his face was slightly somber.

"What is it, what's going on?" he asked.

"It's Darcy. Her mother's passed away."

**Author's Note: End of Ch.9. Hope you're still enjoying this. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Ch. 10 The Recital**

"It's good to be back in this hellhole," smiled Letty on Monday morning. He never realized how much he actually enjoyed going to school. Baralai returned his grin.

"Yeah. Besides, what would this place do without me?" he asked, as he rummaged through his locker for his early morning books.

"Oooh, look, Blappa, it's the dancing queen Abes," pointed Nimrook, a member of the Al Bhed Psyches. They both laughed.

"Yeah, I danced my way into your Mom's bed last night, too," said Letty. Nimrook lost his smile. He raised a threatening fist.

"Watch it, Letty. I still owe you for the way you treated my sister, anyway."

Letty shrugged carelessly. "First your sister, and then your Mom. Your family's filled with whores." Nimrook took a swing at Letty, as Letty cleverly dodged it.

"Letty, don't," warned Baralai, putting a hand on his chest.

"Some other time, Nimrook. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in this school like you."

"He's not worth it. Come on, let's go," said Blappa, pulling his teammate down the crowded corridor.

"We'll be sure to tell Gippal what you really think of the dancing," called Baralai. They both looked scared, and then they hurried around the corner.

"Anyway, we've got other things to concentrate on," said Baralai, turning Letty in Yuna's direction. She was standing by her locker, talking to Jassu. Baralai admired the way her jeans fit.

"Oh, I'm not too concerned. Jassu always has bad breath. It's a turnoff for some girls," said Letty, grabbing his books. Baralai nodded in agreement. Jassu _did_ always have bad breath. Yuna turned to head to her homeroom. He waved. She smiled and waved back.

"Let's go, Baralai," said Letty, leading the way down the hall. Baralai followed.

"As you all _know_, I am your guidance counselor, and you can talk to me about anything. I'd expected to see a few of you by now, but you're still all too shy. Well, if there's something you would like to discuss as a class, we can do that, too. It'll be a group discussion," said Mr. Isaaru.

No one said a word. He frowned. He knew someone had to be having some kind of problems, whether it is school related or not. They were teenagers after all.

"Okay. Let's begin then. We've only got three more weeks together. I was hoping we could take a field trip to the Anima theater house. Would you like that?" Not only did he get groans as a response, but a couple of boos as well. He expected that from the boys. After all, the Anima theater house only performed to classical music. He thought it would be a good experience for them.

"Fine. Be that way. I can't force you to go. But, we're going to have to do one more social event before the semester ends, as a group."

"Let's take a trip then. We can go to Besaid," said Baralai, thinking about an escape from the frigid cold to tropical climate.

"I don't think the school would approve that."

"We could go for spring break, or camping in the Calm Lands," said Gippal. There was no way in the farplane his mother would let him go on any trip right now, anyway. He'd had a hard time trying to explain why he was in such a position. And Rikku hadn't helped much.

"Yeah. Spring break. It's a date," said Letty.

"But, what's that got to do with this class?" asked Mr. Isaaru. Gippal shrugged. He hadn't been thinking about this class, just his own enjoyment.

"We could go out to dinner together," said Lulu. She knew boys liked to eat. There were no complaints.

"Fine. We'll go to Marie's," said Mr. Isaaru.

"No. Pick something else," said Tidus. He didn't want to go a place where Yuna had a date with another guy. He shouldn't be thinking about Yuna right now, anyway. His girlfriend was an emotional mess. She had clung to him for the entire night when she'd found out her mother had died. He had accompanied her back to Luca to handle the arrangements. He'd stayed until the funeral and had flown home on Saturday night.

"What's wrong with Marie's? They serve good pasta," argued LeBlanc.

"And steak, ya," said Wakka, licking his lips.

"Fine," Tidus said. He didn't want to start an argument over something as trivial as dinner anyhow.

"Well, it's decided. Marie's at eight on Friday," Mr. Isaaru said.

Tidus felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Without looking, he knew it was Darcy. He understood that she was going through a difficult time. He wasn't sure what she would do now. She and her mother had lived alone. Her father lived someplace. He had never asked. The coroner had declared her mother's death was caused from natural causes. She had been pretty far along in years.

"Tidus?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Yuna. "Yeah?"

"Are we going to practice or not?" He looked around and noticed that the others had begun.

"Yeah," he said, taking her hand and walking out onto the floor.

"You look worried. Is something wrong?" she asked.

He sighed. "Darcy's mom died last weekend. She's not handling it too well."

Yuna frowned. She certainly wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy. She felt bad for the girl.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know. I've never seen her like this before."

"Well, give her my condolences, okay?" He nodded. It was sweet of her to be concerned about a girl she didn't even know. Of course, the untimely death of her mother made things increasingly difficult for him. He'd had no intention of following Yuna's 'just friends' rule. He'd planned to break up with Darcy as soon as he'd gotten home. Now, he couldn't.

* * *

"Her mother just died," Tidus said, in a slightly annoyed tone. Wakka turned to him from the vegetable sink.

"That's bad, ya, but you're making things worse by pretending you like her."

"I never pretended I liked her." And he hadn't. He'd never given Darcy any indication that he had feelings for her other than lust.

"Yeah, well, now you just pity her," Wakka insisted, as he washed the raw vegetables. It was Saturday afternoon, and he and Tidus were at The Tornado, doing their shifts.

Tidus flipped the burger and ignored Wakka. He didn't want to talk about it. He'd have his true heart's desire some day. Maroda held the plate toward him. He put the burger on the bun and turned his attention to the next order that was placed in the window. He groaned. That was his last burger.

"Gatta, can you go to the cooler and grab some burgers?"

"Can't. I'm busy right now," said Gatta, in the corner by the sink, texting someone. Tidus sighed deeply. He honestly didn't know how that guy stayed on Auron's payroll. The few times that he did show up for work, he never did any actual work.

"Gatta, go get the damn burgers. Since you're not doing anything," Maroda said, putting down some more fries.

"I am doing something. I'm texting this majorly hot girl."

"Better not let Auron catch you again. He's going to fire your ass this time, ya," warned Wakka. Gatta waved him off. He was keeping a close eye on Auron from his position by the sink. Tidus left to go get more burgers.

"So, what's up for Friday night, Wakka? I know you can get me in The Shiva," Maroda said, placing lettuce and tomato garnish on a plate. Auron didn't think it was necessary, but Maroda looked at it as an art. He liked for his food to look appealing to the eye.

"Yeah, I guess so. How about ten?"

"Why no sooner than ten?"

"Who the hell goes to the club before ten? And besides, I got something else to do before that, ya." He paused, holding a bell pepper, thinking about Friday night. Mr. Isaaru had said it was a group outing, but to him, it was the first time he and Lulu were having dinner together. He would have to wear his nice dress shirt and slacks. He hated wearing slacks. But to impress Lulu, he'd do it.

"Fine. Ten it is. I'll meet you there," Maroda said, as Tidus came back carrying the box of burgers.

"Hi, sweetie. How much longer for 12?" asked Dona from the other side of the window.

"I need a few more minutes. I had to restock on burgers."

"I'm going to hold you to that. I'll be back in ten minutes," she said, disappearing.

"Gatta, get to damn work. I don't want to be here all night washing dishes, ya," Wakka complained, noticing the sink piling up. Gatta finally closed the phone and started filling the sink with water and soap.

"Hey, Tidus, I sure hope you know what you're doing. Yuna's a good girl, I can tell."

"She's a flirt, too."

Wakka shrugged. "Who isn't?"

* * *

"I don't have a lot of space here, Darcy, but it's quite comfortable," her Dad said on Thursday afternoon. She looked around the small apartment that was to be her new home. He had cleared out the space in his spare bedroom for her and her things. She and her Dad had a strained relationship at best. She hadn't seen him since she was thirteen when he and her mother had divorced. He'd moved here and they had stayed in Luca.

"It's fine, Dad, really." It would have to be. She didn't have any place else to go. Unless she wanted to burden some of her mother's relatives. She was more than a little ecstatic to be here, anyway.

"Well, I'll leave you to start getting your things unpacked. It's not going to be too horrible. You'll see," he assured her. He closed the door softly.

She sat on the single bed in the center slowly. _Wow. I'm really here. In Zanarkand. _She hadn't even told Tidus that she was coming here. She wanted to surprise him when he saw her at his school when she started the next semester.

She reached for her phone and called him. He should be home from school by now; it was almost six in the evening. "Hi, how are you?" he greeted her. She smiled. He was so sweet, so considerate.

"I don't know, Ti. I just can't believe she's gone. What am I going to do?" she moaned into the phone.

"Take it easy. We talked about it. It's going to be tough, but you're tough, you can handle this." _I can as long as you're with me. _She drew up a well of tears from somewhere.

"I'm just…I'm so lonely, you know…" she sobbed.

"No, you're not. I'm still here for you." Her heart leaped up to the ceiling. He wouldn't leave her. He would stay with her.

She sniffed. "I know you wanted to tell me something important. What was it?"

He paused for a moment. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Have you eaten today?"

"Yes. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I managed to put a little bit in my stomach." She crossed her fingers, and hoped Yevon wouldn't punish her for such a lie. Her Dad had prepared a delicious behemoth loaf for dinner and she'd cleaned the plate.

"That's good. I want you to get a good night's rest tonight, okay? Have you spoken to your Dad?"

"I did. We're in the middle of working something out."

"Good. Listen, Darcy, I have a lot of homework, but I want you to call me anytime, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Ti. I needed this."

"Sure. Bye."

"I love you. Bye."

She hung up. She hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat. This was perhaps the best acting she'd done in her entire life. Tidus didn't know it, but she and her mother had never gotten along. In fact, they couldn't stand each other. Both had been hoping the other would drop dead. _I guess I won, _she thought with a smirk. The old bitch was dead. The one place she wouldn't have to pretend would be here. Her Dad knew that she and her mother hadn't gotten along well. He wasn't surprised she wasn't grieving. He wasn't, either. The divorce had been the best move of his entire life. And since her Dad was along in years, he was fifty; she didn't have to worry about him snooping all the time to find out where she was and what she was doing.

She placed a picture of Tidus on the night table. She smiled at it. Now, nothing would tear them apart. She just needed to keep of her grief a little bit longer. And there were only two more weeks until the semester ended and Yuna would be out of his life as well. She couldn't wait to start her time at Zanarkand High.

* * *

"Sir, we just don't have a table big enough to accommodate such a large group. But, we can seat you in a section together, "smiled the host at Marie's. Mr. Isaaru shrugged.

"That's fine."

The host, Thomas Fuller, lead them through the restaurant. He found a section for them in the corner. Mr. Isaaru frowned slightly. The square, clothed tables only seated two. He'd have to eat alone. He hadn't been able to get Calli to join him. She had told him she had prior plans for the evening, without going into great details. Before he could suggest someone sit with him, he noticed that everyone had quickly sat down.

The waiter immediately came over. "Will you be having wine with dinner tonight, sir?"

"I will. Only me. I'm the only one of age," he explained. The waiter nodded and listened to his wine of choice.

"This is a nice restaurant," said Paine. She had never been here before. Since Folene cooked dinner every night, she never had a reason to eat out.

"Yes, it is. I wish we could have some wine," mumbled Baralai.

Paine took off her coat and handed it to a member of the wait staff. Baralai raised an eyebrow. For the first time, she was wearing a dress. It was strapless, black, and snug. He took off his coat. Paine didn't want to admit he looked pretty damn hot in his dark green silk shirt and grey slacks. He stared at her more closely once they were seated. She was wearing makeup tonight. Why, she almost looked….no, don't think it….pretty.

"I saw you checking my ass out. You'll never get it," Paine warned, turning his thoughts about her dark again.

"I don't want it. And if I did, you'd gladly give it."

"You wish."

"You wish."

Despite the fact that they gotten along pretty decent at Folene's for leftover Thanksgiving dinner, he still thought she was a bitch. She just needed the right kind of man to put her in her place.

"What's all this silverware for?" she asked, looking at it assembled beside her plate.

"I have no idea why they'd give you silverware. You eat with your mouth, right?"

"Shut the hell up."

"Paine, Baralai, we're in a fancy restaurant," warned Mr. Isaaru. "Please behave."

"Wakka, you look nice tonight," said Lulu. He smiled at her.

"You look great, too, ya." And she did. Her dark blue dress was really nice. It had a beaded bodice, and spaghetti straps. He noticed her cleavage looked nice, too.

"So, when do you think we can finish watching the movie?" she asked. Seeing Seymour had instantly killed it for both of them. They had turned the movie off and decided to practice their moves. However, Lulu complained of stomach pain halfway through.

"Anytime for me. Whenever you're ready," he said easily. _And without your damn boyfriend, ya!_

"I'll let you know. I was enjoying myself," she said, shaking her head so her long bangs weren't in her eyes. He liked her hair down. The waiter brought them water.

"So, Lu, this thing is almost over, ya. I guess it was cool hanging out, huh?"

"Why does it have to end when we've done the recital? I like having you as a friend, Wakka."

"Yeah, me, too. You can call me anytime."

"Thanks. I will. I'll actually miss you," she admitted, her scarlet eyes looking downcast. Wakka reached across the table and held her hand.

"I'm not going anywhere. Just call me." She smiled at him. How she wished she could see him whenever she wanted.

"So, how are your other classes going?"

"Good. I'm surprised, but with blitz season over, it's not too hard to stay on top. I might flunk my math exam, though," he admitted.

"Would you like some help? I can help you with it," she volunteered, mainly because she wanted to spend more time with him. She was confused about her feelings for Wakka. She knew that she liked him, but he wasn't her type. Did it always have to make sense? Could opposites attract as well? She used to think it would never work. She was the academic type and he was the jock.

"Yeah, sure. That'd be great, Lu," he said, and she smiled again. She liked when he called her "Lu." He was the only one that ever did.

"So, how's Darcy doing?" asked Yuna, as she placed her napkin in her lap. She'd said she wanted to be friends, so as his friend, she should show concern for his girlfriend. The truth was, she really was concerned having lost her own mother.

"She's fine. I don't really want to talk about her," said Tidus, having a hard time keeping his eyes off her bare shoulders, anyway. She was dressed in a pale yellow dress, with spaghetti straps, and a jeweled pattern of a flower across the bodice. He looked at her slender neck, wondering what it tasted like. He thought she looked really beautiful tonight. Her hair was up, but that was probably because she wanted to show off the diamond studs in her ears.

"Okay. That's fine. What would you like to talk about?" she asked, having a hard time keeping her eyes away from his pink, sensual lips. She desperately wanted to kiss them again. Her eyes traveled to his white dress shirt, noticing the way it fit around his muscles.

"I can talk about anything. Except Darcy. That's off limits."

"Okay. We should talk about what we're ordering."

"I already know what I want," he said, his eyes on hers. He'd said it in a way that suggested he meant more than just food.

"Well, I want you to know that I had to endure a painful discussion with my father regarding sex," she told him.

"Sex? What's his problem? We weren't naked."

"To him, we may as well have been. He's protective. He can't help it."

He nodded, and fiddled with his fork. He had wanted to take Yuna out to dinner, but somehow, this wasn't what he had planned at all, with their teacher right next to them.

"You should try the tomato squid pasta," she said, looking at the menu.

"Didn't I tell you that I hated squid?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. The behemoth loaf is delicious."

"You know that I don't like that, either," he said, watching her eyes dance mischievously across the menu. She was toying with him on purpose.

They placed their orders with the waiter. The conversation went a lot smoother after that. They discussed everything from blitzball to painting to hunting.

"So, you don't like to hunt but your father is crazy about it?" she asked, taking a bite of her tomato squid pasta. Tidus noticed that she had dab of the sauce in the corner of her mouth.

"My Dad will kill anything that he can put in his room," he said, getting up from his seat. Yuna stared at him. What was he doing? He walked to her side of the table, kneeling beside her chair. Without a word, he picked up her napkin and brought it slowly to her mouth. He wiped the sauce off gently.

"Thank you," she whispered. He didn't say anything. He was mesmerized by the way the candlelight made her eyes glow. They stared at each for a moment. Yuna lost herself in his eyes and didn't even realize her head was slowly being drawn to his. Tidus licked his lips in anticipation. Mr. Isaaru cleared his throat loudly. Tidus got up quickly and returned to his seat.

"Wow. These are the best meatballs I've ever had in my life," said Gippal, his mouth full. Rikku scowled.

"Gippal, don't talk with your mouth full," she lectured.

"I can't help it, Rik. Here taste one," he said, holding his fork out to her. Rikku noticed Mr. Isaaru watching them out of the corner of her eye.

"No, I'll take your word for it."

"Come on. Open your mouth," he cajoled.

"Gippal, behave," she told him. She usually enjoyed his silliness, but tonight was not the night for such things. They were in a fancy restaurant, after all. She would have to seriously get him some etiquette lessons if she planned on marrying him. He'd slurped his soup loudly, burped, used the wrong utensils, and sucked his teeth constantly.

"Hey, do you think I could hit Baralai from here?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Hit Baralai. With a meatball. I bet I could. I have perfect aim."

"His aim isn't too bad, either," she said, concerned with retaliation from Baralai.

* * *

"I want you all to know that I'm very disappointed in your behavior on Friday night. Consider this punishment light, considering what I should have done," Mr. Isaaru said, his arms folded.

It was Monday afternoon, and instead of practicing, they were in the classroom writing a five hundred word essay on proper dinner behavior and why they thought it was important. After Gippal had thrown the meatball at Baralai, bedlam had broken loose. Baralai had retaliated, but instead of hitting Gippal, he struck Wakka. Wakka had thrown a yeast roll back, knocking Paine in the back of her head. She'd gotten angry and had thrown water, soaking Lulu. Lulu had thrown a plate of spaghetti, half of it landing on Tidus. He'd thrown a handful of mashed potatoes, but Lulu ducked and it hit Rikku smack in the face. She had squealed, and thrown a potato, hitting Yuna smack in the chest. Yuna had grabbed a fistful of squid and tossed it. It was too slippery to go far, and had landed on Mr. Isaaru's head, while he was trying to get them in order. A fully fledged food war had begun after that.

Wakka sighed as he looked down at his paper. He had only written a paragraph in twenty minutes. For the life of him, he couldn't think of why proper dinner behavior was important or cared. He looked at Lulu, who was vigorously writing away.

"I can't begin to imagine what caused you to toss that meatball, Gippal," Mr. Isaaru said.

Gippal looked up from his paper. Was he expecting an answer? "Boredom," he answered.

"Well, I'm sorry eating isn't entertaining enough for you. Let's hope this assignment is."

"I don't see why the rest of us are being punished," Tidus said, erasing something he had written.

"Because you were involved. You didn't have to retaliate, did you?"

Tidus looked up at him. "Are you going to honestly tell me that if someone tossed a pie in your face, you're not going to do anything?"

"Of course not. It's about being able to control your emotions."

"Do you mind if I put that to the test?" Mr. Isaaru raised an eyebrow. This should be interesting. What was he up to?

Tidus reached under his chair for the bag that was there. He opened it and pulled out a cream filled pie. He had been planning on testing his theory all weekend after Mr. Isaaru had informed them that they would be punished today.

Mr. Isaaru smiled with amusement. "Now, what are you planning on doing with that?"

"I'm going to throw it in your face."

He lost his smile. "What?"

"You said you could handle it." Wakka looked at him with amusement. What was this? Yuna was trying to keep the smile off her face. You couldn't tell that Tidus was joking at all. He looked at Mr. Isaaru seriously. Even Baralai was intrigued.

"You're going to throw a pie in my face from way back there?"

"I have pretty good aim."

Mr. Isaaru fidgeted. "Oh, I don't know…this is a new shirt." Tidus got up and brought the pie to his desk. Then, he returned to his chair and the bag. He took another pie out of it. Mr. Isaaru was confused.

"I think that maybe we should try this…" he broke off as his face was covered in butter cream filling. _How dare he? That little punk_…He reached for the pie on his desk. And without thinking, he flung it at Tidus, but it didn't make it halfway across the room. Some of the cream flew on innocent students. There was some muffled laughter going on.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" demanded Mr. Isaaru.

Tidus shrugged, a satisfied smile on his face. "I told you, if someone threw something in your face…"

Yuna stared at him. He was indeed crazy. "I'll deal with you when I get back," warned Mr. Isaaru, as he left the room. Outside of the room, he paused, flustered. What had just happened? Had he been "had"? He chuckled to himself. It wasn't often that his students got one up on him. He went to the men's room to clean himself up. He met Mr. Kimarhi in there. Mr. Kimarhi taught biology and math. He was at the sink, cleaning green goo off his shirt. Mr. Isaaru stepped up to the sink. Kimarhi looked at him.

"Me experiment. You?"

"Pie."

* * *

"We're up first, Rik. Are you nervous?" Gippal asked, as he looked out at the crowded gymnasium. She nodded. She _was_ nervous. Why had Gippal chosen to go first? He rubbed her shoulders.

"Don't worry. Just keep your eyes on me."

She nodded, and wiped her sweaty palms again. _Duh, Rikku, of course, your palms are sweating. You have on gloves._ Gippal assured her that she looked pretty in her mint green dress. Her hair was pinned up, with tiny green roses pinned in several places. He was wearing a dress shirt the same color with black slacks.

"Ready?" asked Mr. Isaaru. They both nodded. The principal, Rin Trottle, announced them. "Knock 'em dead," said Mr. Isaaru, as they walked out to the center floor. Wakka came closer to watch, but he chewed a nail nervously.

"Where's Lulu, Wakka?" asked Mr. Isaaru.

Wakka shrugged. He wished he knew. He had tried her several times at home, and hadn't gotten an answer. He couldn't believe she would do this to him tonight. _Where are you, Lu? _

"Get ready, Baralai and Paine. If Lulu's not here by the time Rikku and Gippal are done, you'll have to go next," said Mr. Isaaru.

Baralai nodded. He and Paine had never perfected this routine. They would do okay, he thought as he watched Gippal and Rikku. They were good. He wasn't so sure about their choice of music. It sounded like something rock and roll. He was sure Gippal had chosen that. He didn't really think it fit with their routine. He guessed they did, too, the reason they paused and head banged at each other in the middle. That definitely wasn't a part of the routine.

Tidus noticed that Wakka looked really nervous. He walked over to him. "Hey, where's Lulu?"

"I don't know brudda. I'm starting to get worried. She wouldn't do this to me." Tidus didn't think she would, either. From what he could tell about Lulu, she was responsible. He returned to Yuna as she closed her phone again.

"Still no answer?" he asked. She shook her head. She hadn't been able to get in contact with Lulu, either. She wondered if Seymour was in the audience. Surely, he would know where Lulu was. She left the room to search.

Rikku and Gippal came back, smiling with pleasure. "That was great, you guys," said Mr. Isaaru.

"Top that, Baralai," taunted Gippal.

"Doubt it," Baralai muttered. He and Paine hadn't worked out any additions to the routine.

She walked up to him. "Let's go, Baralai. If we're going to look like jackasses, let's get it over with."

"This won't be new for you," he assured her, though she certainly didn't _look _like a jackass. She was wearing a one shoulder blue dress, with a long slit up the side. Her bright eye makeup and red lipstick made her look like a different girl. Her dress purposely matched his shirt.

"Okay, guys, you're on," said Mr. Isaaru, pushing them toward the door. They made their way out to the floor. Mr. Isaaru watched them intently. They missed a few of the first few steps, but seemed to get it together.

Yuna scanned the crowds. She didn't see Seymour anywhere. She saw Braska and waved. She even waved at Mr. and Mrs. Stone. _Oops. Jecht_. Where was Seymour on the most important night of Lulu's senior year so far? The crowd suddenly gasped. She turned her attention back to the dancers. Baralai was bringing Paine up slowly from the dip. He turned her, and she threw a long leg on his shoulder. He seemed surprised, and then he dragged her across the floor. Yuna clapped with the crowd. Then, she remembered that she was in this, too, and headed back to the room.

"Seymour's not here, Wakka," she told him when she entered the room.

"I need to go look for Lulu," he said suddenly.

"No, Wakka. She could very well be en route to the school," said Mr. Isaaru.

Wakka couldn't help being worried now. He was certain that Seymour was holding Lulu up on purpose. He had never approved of their dancing together, anyway. These thoughts gnawed on his brains. Tidus came up to him again.

"Go look for her," he whispered.

"What?"

"Just say you're going to the bathroom."

"I need to piss, ya," announced Wakka. Tidus slapped his head. _Not that bluntly_!

"Okay. Hurry up," said Mr. Isaaru. Wakka left.

Lulu waited patiently for the light to turn green. She was already running pretty late. She had been held up arguing with Seymour on the phone. In her haste grabbing her purse and coat, she had forgotten her phone. She hoped Wakka wasn't going crazy with worry. The light changed, and she accelerated again. She was planning to end things with Seymour. She couldn't take it anymore. He was stressing her out beyond belief.

He had brought her to tears again with his verbal abuse. She remembered that her father used to do that her mother. They had lived in Bevelle until her mother had left him, taking Lulu with her. He still lived there today, but he refused to give Majestic the divorce she kept asking for. Lulu didn't want to see him again. She hated him for the way he had beat Majestic over trivial things such as not putting enough seasoning on his chocobo. She hadn't seen him nor spoken to him in four years.

She was beginning to slowly realize that she was just another Majestic waiting to happen if she stayed with Seymour. She didn't want to start her adult life that way. Seymour would have to find someone else. And she had thought that she loved him. Being around Wakka had shown her that things could be different. She knew that Wakka wasn't looking for a girlfriend, but he would make someone a great boyfriend someday.

She stopped at another red light. _Damn it!_ She waited impatiently for the light to change again. When it did, she stepped on the gas. Suddenly, a car ran the opposite red light, smashing into her passenger side. Her car spun out of control. She screamed, as the car crashed into a pole.

* * *

"Hey, they look pretty good out there. I'm impressed," smiled Mr. Isaaru. Yuna and Tidus were out on the gymnasium floor, doing their version of the complicated routine. Isaaru suddenly frowned. _Where the hell was Wakka_? He'd gone to the bathroom forty-five minutes ago. He and Lulu had better have a pretty damn good excuse for missing this. This recital was the equivalence of a final exam to him.

"Excuse me. May I have a word with Lulu?" he heard suddenly, and turned to the doorway. He recognized Seymour Guado, of course. He had been one of his prized pupils last year.

"Seymour, I haven't seen Lulu all night. She hasn't shown up yet."

"What? She's not answering her phone, either. I've left her messages. Where could she be? Her mother is here."

"We don't know. Her partner, Wakka, is missing, too now."

Seymour's eyes narrowed. "Is he?"

"Yes. I hope they both make it back. But, it looks like it will be too late for them to perform. Tidus and Yuna are my last pair." He watched Yuna flip over Tidus' back. _Ooh, watch yourself now_. Tidus moved suddenly and picked Yuna and over his head. He held her as he moved across the floor. _Okay, you're showing off now._

"Well, if Lulu shows, tell her I'm looking for her," Seymour said, heading out again. Mr. Isaaru nodded. He continued to watch the pair on the floor, but he was wondering where his missing students were.

Baralai frowned as his eyes watched the pair on the floor. It was a good thing this semester ended today. The sooner Yuna got away from Tidus, the better. He knew for certain that he would have gotten her by now if he had been her partner. He shook his head. Obviously, Tidus didn't have the skills to pay the bills. He had been Yuna's partner for over four months, and he still hadn't bedded her. _What a loser_.

He watched them end their routine. He turned to Mr. Isaaru. "Is this it?" he asked. He wanted to get this over with. He was free again. No more forced time with Paine. Oddly, in a strange way, he would miss her. He had never had a girl talk to him the way she did before. Oh, well.

"Well, let's go out and take a final bow," said Mr. Isaaru. Paine groaned. This guy really was one that should be in theater. Yet, she looked at Baralai and waited. He held out his hand. She hesitated, and then took it. They followed the others back out to the floor.

Yuna looked around the audience as they took their final bows. She was shocked to see Seymour, now sitting next to Lulu's mother. She guessed he must have been running late. She turned to Tidus. The semester was over. Now what? Pretend the past four months meant nothing? There was a two week break before the new semester started in January. She was certain that they wouldn't share another class together. He turned and looked at her. _Was he thinking the same thing_?

* * *

Wakka couldn't believe the traffic at this hour. Well, actually he could. It was a Friday night, after all. He didn't know why, but he sensed that Lulu was in some sort of trouble. _If that Guado bastard touches her, I'm going to kill him. _In his mind, all of those minor injuries that Lulu complained about let him to believe that Seymour was behind it. He didn't have any proof, of course, but he felt it. His phone rang. Lulu!

"Ya?" he asked.

"Where the hell are you? I came out into this weather to watch you perform. And I didn't see it. You better start explaining," complained Auron. Shit. Wakka had completely forgotten that he was there.

"I couldn't perform without Lulu, ya. She never showed up."

"I see. And where are you now?"

"I'm looking for her. I went by her house, but she wasn't there. I'm heading into downtown now, back toward the school."

"I'm going on home. Wait. I see your English teacher, Miss Harper. Perhaps I'll go over and discuss your…grades."

Wakka couldn't help the smirk on his face. There was nothing lovelier to Auron than a beautiful woman. Especially single. "Okay. I'll be home…later." Why lie about it? When he made sure Lulu was okay, he was going to hit the clubs.

"Don't miss curfew."

"Alright, ya. Bye." He hung up. The traffic was backed up for some reason. _What in Yevon's name is it now?_ He wondered. He got out of his car to see if he could see what the holdup was. He could see the flashing red lights far up ahead. Had someone been in an accident? Horrible timing. He, like a few pedestrians on the sidewalk began to stroll the sidewalk for a better look. His feet began to pick up speed when he saw the familiar blue and gray station wagon against the pole. Lulu! He broke into a run up to the ambulance. "Sir, you can't come back here," warned an EMT. Wakka strained to see. He saw Lulu sitting on a stretcher inside the ambulance. "Lu, are you okay?" he called. He broke past the technician's arm, and ran up to the door of the ambulance.

Lulu looked at him. "Wakka. Thank goodness."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Just a little banged up."

"What happened?" "Someone crashed into me." "Where are they?" asked Wakka, looking around and seeing nothing but a couple of police cars.

"I don't know. They left the scene. I'm sorry, Wakka."

"It's okay, Lu. As long as your okay, ya."

"It's horrible that someone would leave me for dead. Who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know. The police will find 'em." He didn't say that with confidence. They might _eventually_ find out who was responsible.

"Lu, I want you to be honest with me. Is Seymour hurting you?"

Lulu thought about it for a long time. She should just tell Wakka the truth and get it over with. He would understand and protect her, she was sure.

"No. Why would you think that?" she asked instead.

Wakka gave her a weak smile. _She still doesn't trust me. _

**Author's Note: End of Ch. 10. The semester is over. Now, on to the second half. Thanks for reading, anyway. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch.11 I Take Thee**

"You know, if it weren't for my damn back, I could get back into top condition," complained Jecht, as he did another sit-up. He was dressed in a black and white jumpsuit, with a white headband. He never left the house wearing these outfits, but he liked the look. Tidus sat on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal, watching him. His ears couldn't tell that something was wrong with Jecht's back.

"You're already in top condition, honey," Zalora said, as she wiped dust from the glass coffee table. Jecht groaned as he lifted his body up again.

"Thanks, babe. I have to work hard to stay in shape, unlike some other folks, who have a metabolism that's quick as shit." He threw an annoyed glance in Tidus' direction. Tidus shrugged and continued eating.

"We should get a tree this year," thought Zalora. She loved decorating the house for the Christmas holiday. Tidus groaned. Jecht usually forced him to help her with it. His woman was a great decorator, but she performed her best duties in the kitchen and the bedroom.

"How's Darcy doing?" Jecht asked, as he struggled to pull his body up. Tidus stifled a laugh. _Too much beer, Dad. _

"She's doing much better now," he said, and he was glad that the girl was finally coming to terms with her mother's death. Sure, she still broke down every time he spoke to her, but she was making progress. She told him she was staying with an aunt until her Dad worked something out for her.

Jecht turned and faced him. "And how's Yuna?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't spoken to her in a week."

"And why the hell not? You can't tell me you don't like her."

"I don't like her."

Jecht grinned. He loved toying with the boy. He was so damn sensitive at times. "Don't like her, huh? What is then? Love?" He watched Tidus' face go red.

"Jecht, quit teasing him," Zalora said, but she usually enjoyed it as well.

Jecht laughed. Tidus got up and took his bowl out to the kitchen. Let them laugh. His current situation certainly wasn't amusing to him. He went back down the hall and headed toward the stairs. There was no way he was going back in there for Jecht to taunt.

"Come on, son. Let's talk about Yuna. She sure looked nice at the recital, didn't she?" called Jecht. Tidus ignored him and headed upstairs to his room.

Why was he up so early, anyway? He was still tired. He had hung out with the Abes at The Shiva the previous night. He lay on his bed again. Maybe he could take a short nap.

'_Tidus, are you sure you want to do this?' asked Yuna, wrapped in nothing but a sheet. He was standing in front of her bed. He nodded, lifting his shirt up over his head. She watched as he removed his jeans. He climbed up on the bed. 'Are you sure your Dad's not going to mind? It can get pretty noisy.' She smiled at him. 'He's used to hearing it.' 'What?' 'I'm joking. He's not here.' 'Lucky me.' He leaned over and kissed her. She placed a hand on his shoulder. _

_He felt her tongue slid in between his lips. He reached under the sheet and touched her naked thigh. She broke the kiss and began kissing his neck. He shifted their bodies so that she was straddling him. 'Feels like someone's ready,' she observed. 'I've been ready. I've been waiting for you.' 'Well, here I am. Are you ready for me?' He nodded, as she began to lower his boxers. _

Zalora carried the fresh laundry up the stairs. She walked down the hall and paused at Tidus' door. She tapped gently. No answer. _Either he's in the bathroom, or he's wearing his IPod. _She opened the door slowly, peeking inside. She noticed Tidus on his bed, on his back, snoring softly. She smiled to herself and closed the door.

She put the laundry basket on the floor gently. Then, she stepped up to the bed. She looked down at him. She didn't know what he was dreaming about, but she imagined it was a good dream from the tiny smile on his lips. _Was he having a dirty dream_? She glanced down at his jeans and got confirmation that indeed he was. _You dirty boy_, she thought to herself, as her hand slowly reached under his shirt. He squirmed, but he didn't wake up.

She moved her hand into the waistband of his jeans, under his boxers, her fingers grazing hair along the way. She licked her lips in anticipation. She wasn't really sure why she wanted to bed her husband's son so desperately. Jecht was an amazing lover. It was more out of curiosity than anything else. She grabbed him, her hand gently stroking him. He didn't wake up.

"Yuna…" she heard him say audibly. Yuna? So he was interested in that girl, after all. Really interested if he were having dirty dreams about her.

"Zalora, where are you?" called Jecht. She quickly took her hand out of Tidus' pants and hurried over to the door. She looked out. Jecht was heading into their bedroom.

The sound of the door closing woke Tidus. He sat up slowly and looked around. He noticed the laundry on the floor. He didn't know why, but he felt as though something had happened in here. _I better get a bolt for my door, _he thought.

* * *

Darcy was up early on Monday. Today was the day of the new semester and she wanted to get to school early to surprise Tidus. She had successfully kept him from discovering that she was in Zanarkand so far. He had invited her over for Christmas dinner, but she had declined, saying she wasn't up to it. After all, she was supposed to be in grieving. What would it look like if she joined his family for a joyous occasion? She brushed her long hair out again and decided she looked beautiful. She picked up her coat and headed out into the cold January air. She wished that Tidus could have driven her. Her Dad had said that she could borrow his old car. The thing had smoked horribly all the way from the airport. She got behind the wheel and turned the ignition. It didn't start. _Come on, you piece of shit._ She tried it again. Nothing. On the third try, it started up. She backed slowly out of the parking space. Her Dad lived in the harshest section of central Zanarkand.

She was glad she wouldn't be staying with him long. She was planning on talking Tidus into getting an apartment near the university. They would be the perfect couple. They'd eat breakfast in bed, sleep in on the weekends, and take baths together. Oh, and she guessed they could study together. Why wouldn't he like that? What boy wouldn't like having their lover as a roommate? Speaking of loving, she needed some. It had been a few months since she and Tidus had slept together. She wondered if she could talk him into coming over after school. She was sure that once she mentioned sex, he would be sold. An uneasy thought came to her mind suddenly. Couldn't she get him to come over even if she didn't promise sex?

She drove through downtown, sighing at the early morning traffic. She would have to get used to it. She was thinking maybe she should look for a job, so she could have a nicer car. Maybe she could find out where Tidus worked. She smirked. He didn't need to work. He'd told her all of his gil went to a savings account. She finally moved into slower traffic as she took a side street to the school. Her Dad had shown her how to get to it. She pulled into the almost empty lot and parked. She looked around for Tidus' car, but she didn't see it. She guessed he didn't believe in coming to school early. It was just as well. She had to go get registered, anyway.

After Darcy got registered, she made her way up the two flights of stairs to the senior floor of the building. The hallways were packed with students milling about. She had no idea where she was supposed to go. It was her own fault. She shouldn't have turned down the offer to have a student helper. She didn't want to be led around by some loser. She spotted her homeroom, but she wasn't ready to go just yet. Her morning wouldn't be complete until she had spoken to a certain blond.

She didn't see him anywhere. "Darcy?" she heard suddenly. Surprised, she turned. Standing in front of her…was Yuna. She felt her jaw clench. She looked up at the taller girl.

"Hi…Luna," she said, deliberately saying her name wrong.

"Yuna. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just got transferred here." _Duh, what an idiot_.

"Well, do you need some help getting around? This school is pretty big." Why was she trying to be nice to her, when she was obviously trying to steal her boyfriend?

"No. Tidus will help me find my way."

"Really? He's already in homeroom."

Darcy didn't know what to say next. She hadn't expected him to be in class so quickly. And more importantly, how did Yuna know that?

"Where's his homeroom?" she finally asked, hoping it was hers. Yuna turned and pointed in the opposite direction. _Damn_.

"Well, the bell's going to ring soon. If you need help, just ask." She almost laughed. She would be the last person she asked for help with anything. She watched Yuna walk over, many students greeting her in the hall. To her surprise, she walked into _her_ homeroom. She walked over to the locker she had been assigned to see if she could get it open as a distraction while she thought. The bell rang and she grudgingly walked into her homeroom. Her teacher had the nerve to place her behind Yuna.

She had a miserable morning. She had discovered that Yuna was also in her Spiran History class. She breathed a sigh of relief, when at long last, she spotted Tidus. Holding a candy bar between his teeth, he worked the combination on his locker. She crept up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Well, someone feels like being friendly today," he said, with a smile in his voice. She frowned. Did girls do this to him all the time? He opened the locker, and then he turned to face her. His face remained expressionless. She hated that about him. He was very good at not letting his emotions show.

"Darcy. What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"My Dad. He lives in Zanarkand." Still no emotion.

"Really? Well, I'm glad you're with him now. How are you feeling today? Finding everything okay?" he asked, turning back to his locker to throw a book inside.

"Well, this school is huge. I…just don't know…I feel overwhelmed…" she said, deliberately letting her voice caught. He turned back to her quickly. He patted her shoulder.

"Hey. It's not so bad. You just have to get used to. What's your next class?"

"Foreign Language. Al Bhed. Do you have that, too?" she hoped. He shook his head.

"No. But, the class is right over there, so you can't get lost."

"What else do you have?" She listened as he rattled off his last two classes, both of which she didn't have. She wondered if there was some way she could get one of them switched. Maybe not.

* * *

Tidus entered his last class of the day. Marriage 101. He was glad it was almost over with. Seeing Darcy and knowing she was now at his school somehow made it difficult to finish enjoying his day. He hadn't had any classes with Yuna. He looked around the class for an empty seat. Yuna waved at him from the table near the rear. She was sitting alone. Without even thinking about it, he headed for the seat next to her. He sat down and turned to her.

"Hey."

"Hey. How's your day going so far?"

"Not too bad. What about you?"

"It's okay. I saw Darcy. She's in two of my classes. Why didn't you tell me she was coming here?"

"Because I didn't know myself until I saw her in the hall."

"She didn't tell you?"

"No. I think she wanted to surprise me. And she did."

Yuna thought that it was odd that his own girlfriend wouldn't tell him that she was moving to his city. But, then, she didn't really know Darcy. From her encounter with the girl in the hall earlier in the day, she had the distinct feeling that she didn't like her. It made her uneasy. She usually got along with most girls. Wakka entered the room. Upon spotting Tidus in near the back, he walked over and took the seat in front of him. They clasped hands.

"What's up, brudda? Last class of the day. I thought it would never end."

"I know. What's this class supposed to be about?"

Wakka shrugged. "I don't know. But, as you know, it's required for seniors, ya." He paused when he saw Lulu enter the room. He hadn't really spoken to her since she left the Zuke Memorial Hospital two weeks ago. She hadn't sustained any major injuries from her accident, but he'd driven her home safely nonetheless. Wakka watched Lulu to see if she would sit next to him. She gave him a little smile as she took the seat next to him.

"Hi, Wakka."

"Hey, Lu. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing. Just the usual." _What's the usual? Guado hands around your throat?_

"How the hell did you wind up in this class?" Baralai asked, propped on a table, watching Paine enter the room.

She shrugged. "They told me I had to kick your ass since I didn't do it last semester."

"Yeah? Well, I'm waiting." He couldn't believe it. Paine again. Well, at least he wasn't being forced to spend time with her. She sat across the room.

"Don't pretend like you don't want to sit next to me," he told her. She gave him the finger. He scoffed, taking his seat. He turned and looked around the room. Yuna. Maybe he could make it to the empty chair across from her. Too late. Rikku plopped in it. Shit. He had gone out on one date with Yuna during the break. And it had been a lunch date, meeting at a deli. Not the romantic atmosphere he'd been looking for. Gippal waved at him. He waved back. This was like déjà vu. He supposed the senior requirement had a lot to do with it. Datto came in and sat next to him.

Mr. Isaaru entered the room and closed the door. He smiled at the class.

"I guess I should have told you all that I'm teaching your second required class of the year."

Baralai groaned inwardly. He was more than sick of this particular man.

"In this class, we're going to be dealing with adult situations. As seniors, you're going to have to face some pretty cold reality. Everything that could happen to an adult is going to happen to you." Naturally, he expected a lot of complaints. He loved it.

"Now, as you know, I like partners. So, you can choose your own partner, or I can choose them for you."

He waited to let them debate. Paine looked at Baralai. He turned and looked at her. She nodded. Grudgingly, he nodded back. It was clear they were a team. Datto turned around and surveyed the room. To his delight, his regular date, Calli sat in the middle. She waved at him. He waved back.

"Once that's settled, I'm going to tell you about your first assignment. Welcome to Adult Hell."

Wakka tried to find this amusing. He couldn't. He just had to accept the fact that he wasn't going to have an easy senior year. He was, of course, grateful that Mr. Isaaru had given him and Lulu credit despite the fact that they'd missed the recital.

Mr. Isaaru held his hands together. "Now, as you all know this class is called Marriage 101. And I should go ahead and tell you, that's exactly what we're dealing with here. Your partner is now your spouse."

"NO way in hell!" yelled Paine. Baralai turned and gave her an incredulous look. Paine was his last choice for a bride.

Yuna didn't know what to think about it. She felt her cheeks turn red as the thought of being Tidus' wife settled into her mind. What a lucky day this was turning out to be.

Tidus didn't know how to react. Yuna was his wife? The thought was too unbelievable. Wakka looked at Lulu. She seemed pretty calm.

"Rik, I always wanted to know if you'd marry me," laughed Gippal. She punched his shoulder.

"Well, Paine, I hate to tell you this as well as the others, but, if you don't participate, you can't graduate. I don't make the rules."

Paine reflected. She knew that Folene would be very disappointed if she didn't graduate. Her granny was proud of her and wanted her to succeed. She sighed deeply.

"Okay. I'll do it. What's involved?"

"For the first week, nothing too painful." Paine instantly knew that her favorite clubs wouldn't see her for a week.

"Don't be bashful. You're newlyweds this week," smiled Mr. Isaaru.

"How are we going to be married?" demanded Paine. There were a few agreements.

"Oh, you'll do everything that a married couple does. Your assignment this week is to find a house."

Wakka was confused. "What do you mean, find a house, ya?"

"Maybe we should do the honeymoon first," said Gatta, salivating. Rikku glared at him. _He would say that_!

"Yes, well, I only mean married in a sense of form. But, during this week, you'll have to decide whose house you're going to live at. It doesn't matter. As long as you're together. We'll alternate weeks. You're supposed to learn about your spouse's family during this class. " He began to pass out books.

Wakka couldn't believe it. This was surely a blessing from Yevon. He would get to camp out at Lulu's house all week. If anything should happen….

"This begins tonight. It will end on Sunday morning. I expect a report about this. There are things I want you to find out. It's all in chapter one. You have to record that information. It's for a grade."

Baralai didn't know what the hell to think. Spend a night at that farm? With Paine and granny? _Oh, no_.

"Oh, and guys, try to have fun with the assignment. You wouldn't believe how many teenagers elope in Zanarkand. Consider this a warning about what could happen."

Gippal couldn't believe it. _Spend the night with Rikku? Why weren't all of his teachers this freaking cool?_ _Whoooooo!_ Lulu sat quietly. She knew there was no way in the farplane that Seymour was going to go for this. She frowned wondering what kind of injury she would have to endure. She got up to go retrieve her fake wedding band.

* * *

Darcy looked around the parking lot after school. Where was Tidus? She knew that he was still here. His car was here. She put her books inside her car, and decided to wait by his. She watched the students as they were leaving. They were all laughing with each other and having a good time. She wondered if she had made a mistake in leaving Luca. After all, that's where _her_ friends were. And those were the kids she should be graduating with, not this bunch of strangers. But, Tidus was here, and she wanted to be closer to him. She finally saw him heading toward the parking lot. He stepped up to the car.

"Hey. How'd the rest of your day go?"

"It went okay. It's going to take some getting used to." She decided not to mention her displeasure at having Yuna in two of her classes. She stepped up to him.

"So, what are you doing this evening?" she asked.

"Homework. You wouldn't believe the amount I have. Why?"

"Maybe you can come over to my place. We could do our homework together…or…something more interesting…" she said, suggestively.

Tidus had to admit that he was a little intrigued and his body might have even wanted to beg him to go over, but he had to pack his things for his week at Yuna's. And nothing short of death was going to keep him from going.

"I can't."

She pouted. "Why not? You just said that you have a lot of homework, right?"

"I do. I know that if I come home with you, I won't get a damn thing done. And you know it."

She smiled. "I can't help being a distraction. At least it's a good distraction."

He shook his head. "No. I'll call you later."

He debated telling her about his assignment for the week. Then, he decided she was still too fragile to deal with it on top of everything else. Speaking of which…shouldn't she be concentrating on getting through her grief, and not sex?

Yuna came into the parking lot. Coincidentally, she was parked next to Tidus. She paused next to them. "Hi, Darcy. Did everything turn out okay?"

Darcy shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." _Get lost. He belongs to me. _

"Well, I'll see you later, Tidus," said Yuna, heading to her jeep. Darcy immediately turned to him.

"What does she mean, she'll see you later?"

"I didn't want to bring this up, but, we have an assignment to work on together this week."

"You have another class with her? Why do you have to work on it together?" She could feel her anger starting to build. She was more than sick of Yuna.

"Yeah, we have a class together. And we have to work on it together because we're partners."

"How'd that happen? Isn't it possible for you to have another partner besides her?"

"No. Mr. Isaaru picked the partners," he lied, thinking it'll make her feel slightly better. He would have crawled on his back over hot coals to be Yuna's partner again.

Darcy just simply stared. Then, she managed to cough up a well of tears. She sobbed brokenly into her hands. Tidus looked around. Yuna was already gone. He didn't need a scene. He took her gently into his arms.

"Darcy, this wouldn't be an issue if you trusted me."

"How can I trust you? Every time I turn around, she's there. I can't deal with this right now, Ti. I need you. She doesn't. Please come over to the house with me. I really need something to take my mind off of all of this."

Tidus sighed deeply. "I'll call you later. I promise." That was all he was giving her today. He would call later to see how she was doing. She suddenly shoved him away.

"How can you treat me like this now? You know what a wreck I am since my mother's death."

He gritted his teeth. He really did feel sorry for her, but he wasn't going to let her manipulate the situation with sex. This was her answer for everything. Even right now, she thought sex would end of her grief. She was just going to be upset with him.

"I'll call you later," he said, opening his car door and getting inside. She glared at him hotly for a moment, and then she went over to her own car. She watched him drive away. She loved him. She hated him. She wanted him. And that was what her problem really was. She wanted him to make love to her. Shouldn't he want it as well? She wished they could both go back to Luca. The girls there knew he belonged to her.

She started the ignition. It stalled. She tried again. Stalled again. On the third time, like this morning, it came to life. She sighed with relief. She didn't want to have to call Tidus and ask for help. She was furious with him for the moment. But, she would have to figure out some way to eliminate Yuna.

* * *

"So, Wakka's going to be here with us for a whole week. I hope it's okay. It's for an assignment," Lulu explained carefully to her mother that afternoon. Majestic frowned slightly. She wasn't very happy that her daughter would be spending even more time with that Wakka boy. He just didn't seem like he came from good stock. He certainly wasn't good enough for her daughter. But, she could relax. Her daughter had a steady relationship going with Seymour. He was exactly what she wanted for Lulu. He was articulate, charming, and he dressed like a decent young man should. Plus, his father was the mayor. The match was a dream come true for her.

"I guess that's fine, dear. I'll go up and make sure the bedding in the guest room is clean," Majestic said, leaving the living room. Lulu was relieved. She had believed that her very old-fashioned mother wasn't going to go for it. The doorbell rang. Was Wakka here already? She wasn't expecting him until much later.

"I'm coming!" she called. Seymour stood there. He smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm glad you're home," he said, stepping inside and closing the door.

Lulu nodded. "I have a lot of homework."

"Yes, they really pile it on, on the first day. Do you need some help?"

"No. I can handle it."

"Of course you can." He followed her into the living room and took a seat on the settee. Seymour was usually done with his classes by lunch time. Since he was one of the smartest of the senior class, he only had morning classes. Lulu had elected to take the extra classes, anyway. She had been given the same offer.

"So, I see your wearing the fake wedding band. Are you taking Marriage 101? I hated that class."

Lulu hesitated. She really didn't want to start another fight about Wakka. "I see that you're driving the sports car," she said instead.

He waved her off. "Yes. I felt like breaking it out early."

Seymour usually only drove his favorite sports car during the summer time. During the other seasons, especially winter, he drove a regular standard vehicle. Just something to get through the cold.

"Is your wagon okay? It looked like it took quite a bit of damage," he said.

"Yes, it did. It's in the shop. They've assured me that it will take a couple of weeks. "

"But, your insurance will pay for it, right?"

"Yes, of course. Until the other driver is found, anyway. The police are still investigating."

"Of course," he said, his hands fidgeting. "Do you think we could have some coffee?"

"My mother's upstairs, preparing the guest room."

"Why? Oh. The husband has to sleep here. Who is it, by the way?"

Majestic appeared. "Hello, Seymour. It's nice to see you again."

"Hello, Mrs. Oliver. Do you happen to have any more of that delicious vanilla French roast?"

She smiled at him. "Of course. I'll go put on a pot."

He watched her leave to do just that. He adored Lulu's mother. And he knew how to charm her to his liking, as well. No doubt she was hoping he'd propose. He turned back to Lulu.

"Who did you say the husband was?"

"Well, um…I don't want to make a big deal out of it. It's not important."

"To me it is. Who is it, Lulu?"

Lulu sighed. "It's Wakka."

Seymour almost burst one of his veins. "Wakka! Again? Absolutely not. I forbid it."

"It's an assignment. What am I supposed to do? Fail?"

"I don't care. You are not going to be Wakka's wife. Is that clear?"

Majestic returned. "It's under way. Did I hear shouting?"

"No. Do you know that Wakka is Lulu's husband for the semester?" asked Seymour.

Majestic nodded. "Yes."

"And you approved it?"

"Yes. It's for an assignment. I won't let anything hold Lulu back, and I hope you feel the same way."

"I don't like him. He's too sneaky."

"He is not!" defended Lulu. She knew that Seymour was trying to play her mother. He'd done it many times before. But, it wasn't going to work this time. Wakka hadn't done anything wrong, and he was going to be her husband for the semester whether he approved or not.

Later that night, Lulu waited anxiously for Wakka's arrival. Her mother had already retired. She couldn't believe how excited she was about Wakka living with her for an entire week. Under the same roof as she. Right down the hall from her bedroom. She had read most of chapter one of her textbook. Tonight, she and her new husband were supposed to be on a 'getting to know you' basis. She was supposed to record all sorts of various facts about Wakka.

The doorbell rang. She walked over and opened it.

"Hey."

"Hi, Wakka. Come on in." She stepped back and allowed him to enter. He was carrying a large blue and yellow gym bag.

"Well, we should go upstairs so you can put your things away," said Lulu.

"Okay. What'd your mother say? Is she cool with this, ya?"

"She's fine with it. She knows it's for an assignment." He followed her up the stairs and down the pink carpeted hallway. She led him all the way down the hall to the last room on the right.

"This is our guest room," she explained, opening the door, and flicking on the overhead light. Wakka tried really hard not to cringe. The room had thick, mauve carpeting, pink curtains and a pink and white comforter on the bed. He was glad Auron couldn't see him sleeping in this room. He put his bag on the bed.

"So, what do you think?" Lulu asked, trying not to smile. She'd seen the incredulous look on his face. She'd expected it.

"Well…um…it's…"

"Wakka, you don't have to pretend to like it. It's okay."

"Okay. I hate it, ya. But, I guess it don't matter none."

"Well, I'll let you get settled in. There's a bathroom down the hall. I'm going to go take a shower and dress for bed. Then, I'll come back and we can go over some of the questions."

He was tempted to ask if she wanted her back scrubbed, but decided against it. After all, he was her husband. She closed the door. He opened up a drawer on the white dresser and began to unpack his clothing. Auron had been intrigued by this particular assignment. Wakka had assured him that he'd see for himself firsthand how it was going next week. He went down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower. He wasn't the least bit surprised that the bathroom decorations were pink. He got in the tub and turned the shower on. He began to sing some random song as the spray hit his body.

When his shower was over, he reached for a thick mauve towel on the rack. He wrapped it around his waist, and scooped up his clothes. He opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

"Wakka! Not those towels! My mother will have a fit!" exclaimed Lulu in a panicked voice, actually frightening him. He quickly took the towel off and held it out to her.

"WAKKA!"

* * *

"I was surprised to read so much stuff about being married," Yuna said, after dinner that night. She'd been surprised to learn as much as she had from the book already. Braska took a sip of his wine without responding. She was at the sink, putting away the dinner dishes.

"As long as it doesn't become a reality, its fine with me," he said, though he didn't approve of a young man camping out in his home where his teenage daughter was so available. Was that really necessary? He poured another glass of his favorite sherry.

"Yuna, you've been spending a lot of time with this particular young man. Tidus, right? Are you sure this is just for an assignment?"

Yuna paused, up to her elbows in suds. She knew that if she told Braska the truth, there was no way he would allow Tidus to sleep here. He simply did not trust teenage boys. Actually, he didn't trust boys of any age. He said that since he was one also, that he knew the way their minds worked.

"Yes, of course. I'm not looking for a boyfriend. You know that."

He nodded, but she didn't see it. He wondered why she didn't have a boyfriend. He suspected that it had a lot to do with him. That somehow his behavior was causing her to look at boys in a different way. But, she hadn't had a steady even before Jacinda's passing. A bewildered thought came to mind. _Are you certain that she actually likes boys? _He chuckled to himself, and tossed that thought out the window. Of course, she did. She was a gorgeous young girl. She went out with boys all the time. Then…what was the problem?

"Well, why aren't you looking for one? I mean, you're almost eighteen. What's holding you back?" He lifted his glass of sherry and downed it. He poured another immediately.

Yuna didn't know how to answer. Because it all led back to Tidus full circle. She had finally found a boy that she was interested in, really interested in, and he wasn't available. She was beginning to think that her father was right. But, did she really want a boyfriend? She still enjoyed all of the attention she got from being single. Maybe it could wait until college.

Braska stood up. "I'm going to head on up, honey. I expect to find Tidus on the sofa bed in the morning," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Father! Of course he will be."

"Just making sure," he said, leaving the kitchen. Yuna finished washing the dishes. What would make Braska think that Tidus would be in her bed? Did he know how desperately she wished he were? Did he know how much she daydreamed about them being in her bed? His hot skin pressed against hers? His even hotter lips pressed against…any part of her body. She almost lost her breath at the sink, envisioning it.

The doorbell rang. She was thinking that she should give Tidus a spare key. After all, he was her husband. He should have a key to their home. She wiped her hands on a towel, and left the kitchen. She opened the front door.

"Hey."

"Hey. Welcome home," she said, jokingly. He smiled.

She closed the door. "I was thinking that maybe you should have a key," she explained. He shifted his gym bag on his shoulder.

"Your Dad won't mind?"

"No. He knows what's going on. You're going to have to sleep on the pullout. Sorry. The spare bedroom upstairs doesn't have anything in it except junk. We never have guests, so my Dad never fixed it up."

He shrugged. "That's fine."

She went into the living room and sat in the recliner. She picked up the book Mr. Isaaru had given them. She had marked off a few questions. He sat on the sofa.

"What's your favorite color?" she asked suddenly.

"What?"

"I'm supposed to be getting to know you, remember?"

"Oh. Blue. What's yours?"

"Blue."

"You made that up so you match me."

"No, I didn't. It really is."

"Hey, Yuna, do we have to do this tonight? I'm a little tired. I swear, tomorrow, I'll answer a zillion questions if you want me to."

She nodded. "Okay. These are just basic things, anyway. The next chapter, the questions get a little more intimate."

"Okay, let's finish this chapter," he said quickly. Yuna smiled. She thought that might get his attention. She stood up.

"Nope. You wanted out. Let me show you how to pull the bed out."

Tidus sighed. He'd love to sit up all night asking Yuna intimate questions. He helped her pull the bed out. It was already made up, with a sheet and blanket.

"Well, I'll see you in the morning. What do you like for breakfast?"

"Whatever." _Especially waffles. A growing boy needs to eat, _he thought sarcastically.

"Okay. You know the bathroom is in the hall. Goodnight," she said, standing hesitantly by the doorframe.

"Goodnight, Yuna."

Yuna tossed and turned throughout the night. She just couldn't fall asleep. She opened an eye and looked at the clock on the night table. Eleven. It had only been an hour since she'd gotten into the bed. What was the matter with her? She felt antsy, like she needed something. Or perhaps…knowing Tidus was down the hall sleeping in her living room was keeping her awake? She got up from the bed slowly. She just wanted to check on him. She wondered what Mr.…..Jecht had thought about this. She tiptoed down the hall quietly. She peeked around the corner of the living room's door. Tidus was curled up on his side, his back facing her. She really wanted to crawl on the covers with him. She didn't know how to describe this terrible longing she felt. She crept around the bed to look at his face. He looked so sweet in repose. She kicked herself mentally and headed back to her room. She wondered if he would have been upset if she had woken him. She crawled back into her bed and tried to drift off.

Tidus opened an eye. For a moment he forgot where he was. He looked at his watch. Twelve-twenty. He sat up slowly. He had to go to the bathroom. He got up and went out to the hall. Once he had relieved himself, he paused in the hallway. He looked down the hall toward Yuna's room. Deep inside of him, he had a terrible urge to go into her room, pull back the covers, and make love to her until the sun came up. His feet started walking in that direction. The door wasn't closed all the way. He pushed it open further, stepping inside. He walked over to the bed slowly. He distinctly knew that drunk or not, Braska could still wring his neck. Yuna was facing the window, her back to him. He walked around the foot of the bed to stare at her in the moonlight. She was sleeping peacefully. He wondered if she would be upset if he woke her up. He went back down the hall to go back to sleep.

Yuna awoke again. She groaned and looked at her clock. Two-eleven. What the hell was wrong with her tonight? She never had trouble sleeping. She realized that there was a bit of perspiration on her forehead. And she knew exactly why. The dream she'd been having had been very…detailed. She and Tidus had been rolling around naked on top of her bed, their limbs entwined. She realized she was breathing heavily. She got off the bed again, and slowly crept toward her door. She went down the hall to the living room again, watching Tidus sleep. He was snoring softly. She sighed deeply, mentally kicked herself again, and went back to bed.

Tidus awoke again. What was it? Why couldn't he sleep here? It wasn't the bed. It was quite comfortable. It wasn't even the fact that Braska could come rolling down the stairs at any moment. Desire. That's what it was, plain and simple. She was too close. He got up from the bed, for the second time that night, and slowly made his way to the hall. He was about to go around the doorframe, when he almost collided with Yuna. He put his hand over her mouth quickly to muffle her scream.

"What are you doing?" they asked each other in unison.

"Well…um…I was thirsty," explained Yuna.

"You passed the kitchen," he reminded her. Both of them stumbled for an explanation and came up empty. Muttering goodnight to each other again, they both went back to bed.

* * *

A rooster cock-a-doodled. A cat hissed. But, it was the dog barking that finally woke Baralai. He sat up quickly, hitting his head on the ceiling. He groaned, and lay back down. It took him a few moments to realize that he was at Paine's crummy farm. And in a crummy bunk bed. He had initially feared hitting his head on the top bunk, but he could see that he was wrong.

"I hope you're woke in there, honey," he heard Paine saying, opening the door. This was not the face he wanted to be greeted with each morning. He lifted the finger.

"Good, you are woke. Get up. It's time for the morning chores."

"Bullshit. What time is it, anyway? Five? Are you crazy?"

"Of course, I'm crazy. I married you. And since we have a farm that supports us, we have to do the chores."

"I'm not going anywhere near a damn chocobo."

"Of course. I'll be waiting downstairs." She closed the door. He couldn't think of a girl he hated more. He got down from the bed. He hadn't brought any clothing for "chores." And he sure as hell wasn't going to wear his expensive clothing to take care of some farm animals. He opened the door.

"Paine?" he called. No answer. "Paine?" he called again, a little louder.

"She's already out in the barn, dear. Can I get you anything?" asked Folene, coming into view slowly. She smiled at him. She really did like this young man.

"Um, well, I don't have anything…proper to wear to do chores." She nodded, taking notice of his expensive looking silk pajama pants. She knew he was a rich boy. But that made her feel good about him. Paine would need someone who could take care of her when Folene was gone. She could rest knowing that she wasn't here, struggling to keep this farm going.

"I'll be right back. There's some old clothing that used to belong to my son here. Stay put." He waited patiently, his eyes wondering aimlessly over the old carpet. _This house could really use some renovations,_ he thought. Folene crept slowly back into view. She held out a pair of corduroy pants and a plaid shirt.

"Here you go."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope. This or your own things. You decide."

"Fine," he said, grudgingly taking the clothing and stepping back into the room. The corduroy pants were way too long, and snug as hell. He wondered if he would lose circulation in his nuts before the morning ended. The shirt smelled like mothballs. He walked down the stairs as quickly as he could, without causing discomfort. Then, he grabbed his coat and went outside. He found Paine in the barn, with the wolves again.

"Paine, it's time I laid down a few laws. As your husband, I expect nothing but obedience." She stared up at him, trying to take him seriously, but he looked absolutely ridiculous in that outfit.

"What?" she asked, trying not to smile.

"I get up in the morning when I damn well please. And if I don't feel like doing chores, I won't be doing them. Understood?"

"Baralai, I just need your help, okay? Don't burst a vein."

"I'm going to burst something if these pants ride up in my crotch any higher," he complained. She laughed. She couldn't help it. Despite himself, he allowed himself to laugh a little. It was the first time he was able to laugh at himself.

"So, this is what we're doing this morning?" he asked.

"Yeah. Granny will get the eggs later." He walked over and grabbed a crate silently. She turned to look at his back as he worked. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel her usual disgust for him this morning. _The twat might not be so bad, after all. _

* * *

Gippal woke up early. It was about four in the morning. And as usual, he had morning wood. But, now he could do something else about it. Use somebody else's hand, perhaps. He removed his IPod, his ears filling instantly with Brother's loud snoring. He was going to have to sleep in the basement. He got up and walked over to the door. He made sure that the coast was clear, and then he headed around the corner to Rikku's room. He tried the door. It was locked. What the hell? He tapped gently. No answer. He tapped a little louder. He had to be careful. He didn't want to wake Cid.

"Rikku," he called urgently. He adjusted the waist of his pajama pants. He never wore clothes to bed at home. He felt restricted in them. He tapped again.

"Rikku," he called a little louder. He heard a small yell, as she fell out of her bed. He glanced around for signs of Cid. She finally opened the door.

"Gippal, what is it? Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm here now. I thought we could play."

Rikku tried not to groan. She had been having a peaceful sleep. She should be happy that Gippal was spending the week here. But, she didn't think she had the energy to "play" right now.

"Gippal, I'm really tired."

"I'm not. You won't have to do anything. I'll do it all."

She hesitated. A giddy part of her wouldn't mind half as much if he did all the work. But, Cid usually got up early in the mornings. And he would check to see where Gippal was first thing.

"Gippal, I don't know. My Dad's going to be woke soon."

"It won't take long," he insisted. Suddenly, they heard another door open. Without even saying another word to Rikku, Gippal sprinted back to Brother's room. He got under the covers just in time as Cid opened the door to look in.

_I thought I heard talking. I guess not. Better stay where I can keep an eye on you, buddy. Ain't no bangin' goin' on under my roof. Rikku's a good girl and I intend on keeping her that way. Maybe I should talk to him about it again in the morning. Man to man. Maybe even make up a story about yanking some guy's testes off for good measure. Yeah, that should do it. _

**Author Note: End of Ch.11. 9/9/2010: Updating...might be a few chapters missing here and there. Just checking for grammar errors.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Just a warning. This story is rated M. There is some strong sexual content in this chapter. You've been warned.**

**Ch. 12 Conjugal Visitation**

By week four, the newlyweds were doing well. They knew most of their spouses likes and dislikes. Mr. Isaaru was pleased with their progress. On a personal note, he wasn't particularly pleased with Datto Jones. He was spending too much time with Calli before the second semester. He entered his bachelor pad with her late one evening. He never brought any of his guests over before sunset. He couldn't risk his nosy neighbor, Mrs. Addison, informing his landlord and perhaps the local authorities. He took her coat and hung it up.

"Take off your shoes. Get comfortable," he said, moving to put on some soothing music. He had dinner simmering, the table was set, and now his date was here for the seducing. He poured her a glass of white wine, and then one for himself.

"Thanks." She took a tentative sip of the wine and moved to the white sofa. He followed her, sitting in the recliner, propping his feet up on the ottoman.

"So, how's the marriage going? Seriously?" he asked.

"Oh, it's going pretty good. Datto and I get along great." _Then why did you lie to him about where you were going?_ She was staying at his house this week. She liked Datto a lot. He was the kind of guy she could be serious about. This…fling with Mr. Isaaru was something she'd done because she liked to experience new things.

"I see. That's good. It's nice to have friends." She wanted to tell them that they were becoming a little more than friends. In fact, way more than friends. She had invited him into her bed at her home, and he hadn't refused.

"Well…Mr. Isaaru…"

"Call me Clive in my home. You know that. What is it?"

"It's about Datto. I like him a lot."

Mr. Isaaru took a sip of his wine. This information wasn't particularly troubling to him. He had half a dozen more girls on his list. Maybe being around Datto was in fact good for Calli and him. No one would suspect anything. Calli stood up to go. "I can't stay. I told Datto I was going home to get something."

He frowned. "That's too bad. I made rigatoni."

"Sorry," she said again, walking to the door. He didn't know it, but she wasn't going to see him anymore.

* * *

"Wakka, you put too much flour in this," Lulu laughed, as her sticky fingers tried to press the dough in the bowl into something decent.

"Nonsense. Auron says there's never enough flour," he said, wiping his hands on his dirty apron. They were at his house, attempting to make cookies.

Lulu smiled at him. Being around Wakka on a continuous basis these past weeks had been the happiest she'd been in quite a while. She hadn't seen very much of Seymour, but it didn't bother her as much as she would have previously thought. He smiled back. He would have never imagined being in his kitchen making cookies, and enjoying himself.

"Look at you. You're a mess, ya," he said, looking at the flour in her hair, and all over her clothes. He didn't look much better. They'd had a mini flour war when they had begun.

"I'm going to have to add 'can't bake cookies' to the list of things my husband doesn't know how to do," she teased.

"Ya? Well, I'm gonna have to add 'wife can't take her eyes away from my naked body' to the list."

Lulu looked away, her cheeks on fire. Seeing Wakka in all of his glory had been shocking, embarrassing, and most of all, fantastic. He was right. She had had a difficult time tearing her eyes away.

"You snatched the towel off!" she said in her defense.

"You scared the shit out of me, ya! You made it sound like your mother was going to come after me with a knife."

"Maybe a pair of sewing shears," she admitted. He watched her place the dough on the cookie sheet. He wondered if she ever baked for Seymour. The doorbell rang suddenly.

"Keep working. I'll get rid of 'em," he told her, and headed out to the front door. He opened it. Seymour stood there. Wakka frowned.

"What are you doing here, ya?"

"I'm here to see Lulu. What else?"

"Well, she's busy, ya. Come back some otha time." He began to close the door. Seymour held it.

"Don't play with me, Wakka. Where is she?"

"I'm not playin'. This is my house. I decide who comes in or not. Now, if you want to challenge that…"

Seymour debated. He was sure he didn't have the strength to take Wakka on. "LULU!" he shouted instead. Wakka moved his hand and closed the door. Lulu came out of the kitchen.

"Is that Seymour?"

"Ya. Get rid of him. This is our time." Mr. Isaaru allowed free time on Sundays. They weren't required to spend that day together. Lulu nodded and went to the door. Wakka went back to the kitchen.

She opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I haven't seen you outside of school since two Sundays ago." The last Sunday he had gone with his father to Bevelle.

"Well, you know that Sunday is my free day."

"Yes, well, maybe I should speak to Mr. Isaaru about that. I'm sure he'll give you special treatment if I ask him."

"No. I don't deserve special treatment." And she certainly didn't want him to think that she needed him to get it for her. He always made it a point to prove to her that he was more important than she at the school.

"Okay. Wakka was a bit rude today. Have you told him anything?" he asked, the threat clear.

"Of course not," she said, though she was a bit happy that Wakka had shown some hostility toward Seymour.

"Lulu, I'm warning you. If even think about telling him things about me, you'll regret it. I promise you."

"Don't threaten me, Seymour."

He stepped closer. "What?" he demanded. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Lu, are we gonna finish or not?" called Wakka from the kitchen.

"It's LULU!" Seymour yelled, squeezing her shoulder tightly. She managed to free herself from his clutches.

"I'll see you Sunday, Seymour," she said, and closed the door. She put the lock on it. She could see him standing there for a few moments longer. Then, he turned and walked away.

Lulu returned to the kitchen. "We better get this mess cleaned up," she said, walking over to get the broom. Wakka noticed that her mood had changed. He didn't like it one bit. He was going to have to make sure that Seymour stayed away from her during the week.

He put the cookies in the oven and picked up a rag to wipe the counters. He had been joking with her earlier about seeing his naked body, but the truth was, he hadn't minded at all. It had actually turned him on a bit, knowing her eyes were curious enough to look.

* * *

"Listen, in two weeks we'll be off house arrest, okay? And then, full steam ahead," Baralai said, as he stood next to his truck. It was after school and the Abes were complaining about the "marital" situation. Naturally, Yuna couldn't go out at this time. He couldn't wait, either. It was time he convinced Yuna that the rest of the boys at this school were jokes, including Tidus. Well, especially Tidus.

"That's good to know. We're running out of time. I'm going to make my move on Valentine's," said Letty, lighting a cigarette. Baralai was tempted to light one himself. But, he knew that because of his lung condition he should pace himself. He had already smoked two since this morning.

"Are you insane? I'm taking Yuna out on Valentine's," he told Letty. Letty smiled without replying. Keepa sighed deeply.

"I hope it's okay that I've been sleeping with other girls on the side. I'm not going to catch blue balls waiting on Yuna," he complained.

"It better be damn okay, because that's what I've been doing, too," Botta said, pulling on a pair of fuzzy earmuffs. It was as cold as Mt. Gagazet today. The icy wind whipped through the air.

"Yeah, me, too. But, I'll still have enough energy for Yuna just as soon as the light is green again," said Jassu, putting on thick gloves. He couldn't wait to end this conversation so he get out of the damn cold.

Baralai didn't find it necessary to tell them whether or not he'd had some action. Of course, he had. Not so much recently because of the house arrest and that was making him testy.

"Okay, so a few more weeks and then we're on guys. I'll see you then," he told them, and got into his truck. He turned the heat on immediately. He pulled away from the school and started home. He paused at a red light. He decided to text Yuna, just to let her know he was thinking about her. _Hi, Yuna. I hope everything is goin' fine. Can't wait for our next date. _He closed the phone and turned his attention back to the traffic. He squinted. Was that…? No, it couldn't be…But it was. Why the hell was Paine walking in this frigid weather? He pulled over to the curb and got out.

She was walking slowly up the sidewalk, her head down, in her jacket. He mentally thought she needed a coat. She kept walking. She almost walked past him.

"Why the hell are you walking in this weather?" he demanded. She paused.

"I'm in no rush to get home lately," she said.

He knew what she was referring to. They were at his home this week. He didn't know what the hell she was complaining about. Being in his house should have made her feel like a damn princess. Sure, his parents were more than a little snobby, but he couldn't really do anything about that.

"Get in the damn truck," he demanded.

"Don't talk to me like that, fucker," she warned dangerously.

"You've got two fucking seconds to get your ass in the truck, or I'm dragging you in it," he threatened. And he wasn't kidding. He was sick of her attitude.

"Come on and try it," she taunted. She was technically freezing, and in no mood for a fucking rich pretty boy today. She really was going to kick his ass.

He stepped closer, grabbing both of her arms, and pulling her toward the truck. She fought, hitting him in the chin with her forehead. He swore, and twisted her arm behind her back. She screamed, and kicked him. He released her and slapped her hard across the face. She punched him in the face. He stumbled for a moment, temporarily surprised at her strength.

"You asked for it, bitch," he spit angrily, charging her to the cold concrete. He put his hands tightly around her throat. She coughed. He leaned down and bit her neck. She screamed again, bringing her knee up hard between his legs. He groaned, losing his breath, and rolling off her.

"When I get up, I'm going to fucking kill you," he threatened between breaths. Paine hesitated. He sounded like he really meant it. She took off running down the sidewalk. He looked around the almost deserted street. A bum calmly watched him as he sat against the wall of an abandoned store. He raised his bottle and continued to watch.

_She's so fucking dead. I'm going to jail, and I don't care,_ he thought angrily. After what seemed like an eternity, he made it back to his truck. He decided to drive home and deal with her later.

Paine kept running. She didn't know where to go. Baralai's house was a block away. His parents would protect her from his wrath. She hadn't known she had kneed him that hard. For the first time in her life, she was really frightened. She ran toward the Griffins' home. She knocked quickly. No answer. Shit. She knocked again more urgently. Still, no answer. She tried the door. It was open. She ran inside quickly.

"Mr. or Mrs. Griffin! Are you home?" she called desperately.

No answer. She checked the entire downstairs area. Where the hell were they? She realized then that no car had been in the driveway. She had to get her things and get away before Baralai got home. She ran up one side of the dual staircase and down the hall to the room she was staying in. She got her things together quickly. Then she ran into the adjoining bath and grabbed her things from there as well. She stepped back into the bedroom, walking toward the door. Her heart stopped. She hadn't closed that door. She saw the hoodie on the floor. Before she could react, she was grabbed and thrown to the hardwood floor roughly and straddling her body.

"Do you know I could seriously fuck you up for that?" Baralai demanded angrily. She didn't know what to say. She'd never seen him so angry before. Then, she gathered her strength and put up her defensive wall again. Her head was spinning a bit from the impact of hitting the floor. She butted him in the chin again, and threw him off of her.

She crawled toward the door. He grabbed her leg, holding her down, and reaching to pull her hair roughly. She took a swing at him, but he dodged it. He flipped her over on her back. She punched him. He punched her back, holding back because she was a girl. Infuriated that he would punch her, she punched him again, twice as hard. He heard the ice hitting the window, the beginning of a hail storm. He was glad his truck was in the garage. He glared down at her with pure hatred. She glared back. He slapped her hard across the face, sending her head reeling. When she recovered, she slapped him back, just as hard, her nails scratching his face.

That was it! Enough! He didn't know what the hell he was doing. He ripped her tight sweater, practically tearing it off of her. Angry, she tore his t-shirt. Livid that she had the nerve to damage his clothing, he ripped open her jeans, and tugged them off, tossing them across the room. She pulled his t-shirt, tearing it off his body. He reached down and tore her bra straps off her shoulders, exposing her breasts. _You fucking jerk!_ Her brain screamed, and she tore his jeans open and yanked them down. He didn't know what happened next, but he was ripping her panties off. She put her thumbs inside his silk boxers, yanking them down his thighs. He wiggled out of them, holding her down with his free hand. He was going to teach her.

Before he knew it, he was inside of her, trying to pound some obedience into her stubborn brain. She screamed, digging her fingers roughly into his hair.

"All…you…need…is…a...good…fuck…" he insisted, breaking off to groan loudly.

"OH…MY…GOD!" she screamed. She wanted to kill him, perhaps stick a knife in his side, and watch him bleed to death. But, more than that, she wanted him to keep doing what he was doing. They went at it, both of them determined to bring pleasure to the other as much as pain. She dug her sharp nails deep into the backs of his thighs. He screamed. He leaned down, sinking his teeth hard into her shoulder. She screamed. She rolled them over, straddling his body. Now, he was going to know what it was like when she was in control.

"Don't…you…ever….put…your…fucking…hands on me…again," she threatened, breaking off into a loud moan as she angrily rode him.

"Aaah…yes….ma'am…." he moaned, trying to keep the smile off his face and failing. She pinned his arms over his head.

"I hate you…you fucking rich bastard…" she moaned, never in her life imagining it could be this damn good. It had been a very long time for her. She had put it out of her mind. He rolled them over again, taking control again.

"I hate you…you up-tight bitch…aahh…." He moaned. She wrapped her legs tightly around his torso. He was going to teach her a lesson she wouldn't soon forget. He moved faster and deeper inside of her. He was close.

"Come, bitch…" he taunted. She would have replied just as harshly, but she was about to do just that. Her knees clutched him, and she screamed. He smiled down at her. _I won. _She rolled back on top of him, riding him with an intensity as if her life depended upon it. He felt himself start to climax. He screamed. She smiled, and then she allowed herself to climax. She had faked it. He looked at her in surprise. _I win, _she thought to herself.

* * *

"So, how are you?" Tidus asked, as he took off his sneakers. Darcy took a moment to answer. She was still talking to him, of course.

"I'm fine." She had decided she'd better keep her temper in check, even though she knew that Yuna was at his house.

"I was thinking…when these two weeks are over, we should really get together," he said.

It was true. Most of the kids at school had picked up the fact that they were dating, and he thought it was about time that he just accepted it. He had to admit he hadn't been the best boyfriend. Hell, he knew he was far from being the best boyfriend. He'd never been completely faithful to her. And he felt guilty about that. Especially now, seeing how withdrawn she was. She hadn't made any friends. He was going to try to continue being faithful to her. He knew by now that he'd never have Yuna. She was just out of his reach. A dream. Plus, she hadn't given him any reason to think that she possibly reciprocated his feelings. It was kind of ironic. When he'd first started Zanarkand high, she had pursued him relentlessly. Now, he was lucky if he got an innocent flirtation.

"Well, what do you want to do?" she asked, innocently. She knew damn well what she wanted to do. And it didn't involve clothing.

"Well, we've got spring break coming up soon. Some of the Abes have been talking about going to Besaid."

"Besaid? That sounds like fun. I'd love to go," she said, imagining the serene atmosphere, the sandy beach, and tropical drinks. And best of all, no supervision. Besides, she wasn't sure she would be able to do anything with Tidus at her home. Her Dad was retired, and rarely left the house.

"Good. That's what we'll do then. I have to go. Dinnertime."

"Okay. I love you, Ti. Bye."

"I…um…Bye."

He tried to say it. He tried to mean it. The words just wouldn't come out of his mouth. He left his room and went downstairs. Jecht was watching the news in his favorite room. Tidus appeared and took a seat on the sofa. He looked around.

"Where's Yuna?"

"In the kitchen with Zalora. You know women. They like to talk about us behind our backs." Tidus swallowed without answering. He wasn't sure what Zalora would say to Yuna about him. Jecht hadn't questioned why he wanted that bolt on his bedroom door.

"It's been nice having Yuna around. Seems like the two of you are dating," Jecht thought aloud.

"Well, we're not. I'm still with Darcy."

"Yeah, I know that. I'm just sayin' it seems like it. She said some things…" he trailed off.

"Like what?" Tidus asked quickly. Jecht smiled. He took the bait, like he thought he would.

"I don't know if you'd be interested…" he shrugged carelessly.

"Dad, tell me already!" He hated for Jecht to toy with him.

"Well…just that you were…cute…" Tidus began to smile. "As a baby."

He lost his smile. "What? You showed her my baby pictures?"

Jecht shrugged. "They're on the mantle."

Tidus thought he was going to die. Seriously. There was a picture up there with him naked sitting in a sink. His mother had thought it was cute.

"Dinner, guys," called Zalora. Tidus followed Jecht slowly to the dining room. He avoided looking Yuna in the eye as he sat down. Jecht picked up a chocobo leg and took a big bite.

"So, I told this guy on the site today that if he missed one more day, I was goin' to fire his ass," he explained.

Tidus had already warned Yuna that his dad had the worst table manners he had ever seen in his entire life. So, she wasn't surprised that he still tried to talk with his mouth full. She ate without replying. She had phoned Braska before dinner to check on him.

"Jecht, you're so hard on them. They have families, too," said Zalora.

"I don't care. I expect them to show up to work. Those houses won't build themselves, you know."

"Maybe we should discuss something that Tidus and Yuna would be interested in," she suggested. Tidus looked at her. She winked at him. He turned his attention back to his meal.

"Okay. So, kiddies, how was the honeymoon? I hate I missed the wedding. But, if eloping is what you felt you had to do, that's fine with me. What was the hurry? Are you knocked up, Yuna?" Jecht asked, shoveling potatoes into his mouth.

Yuna choked on her roll.

"Are you okay?" Tidus asked quickly. She nodded, taking sips of her water. Tidus turned back to Jecht, annoyed.

"Dad, you know this isn't real," he said, pointedly.

"I know the wedding wasn't. Was the honeymoon?" he asked, returning the same pointed stare. He considered himself a sex expert. Technically, he knew that they weren't sleeping together. He knew the body language.

"There was no honeymoon!" Tidus exclaimed, taking an annoyed bite out of his roll. His body was aching for a honeymoon. Any honeymoon.

Jecht looked at Yuna, whose face was beet red. He chuckled. "I'm just jokin', Yuna. I like to get the boy riled up."

Later that night, as Yuna brushed her teeth, she began to wonder what it would be like living here all the time. She thought Mr. Stone was hilarious. Oops. Jecht. And Zalora was interesting as well. She rinsed her mouth and left the bathroom. She met Jecht in the hall. He was holding another piece of the cherry pie they'd had for dinner. He was wearing red pajama pants and no shirt.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stone, I didn't…" she broke off, trying not to stare at his hairy chest.

He chuckled. "Didn't what? Know I was in the hall grabbing another piece of pie? Even though I shouldn't. But, you know…" he shrugged.

"Yeah. Well, goodnight then."

"Night. See ya in the morning," he said, continuing around the corner. She noticed that Tidus' bedroom door was still open. She walked down the hall to peek in. He was sitting on the floor, his legs crossed, with their marriage book in his lap. They had a test coming up.

"What are you reading?" she asked from the doorway.

He looked up and shrugged. "Nothing, really. Just going over some stuff. Want to come in and talk?"

She came in and sat down in front of him on the blue carpet. He got up and closed the door. Then, he resumed his position. He put the book aside.

"So, we've been married for four weeks, and I've learned a lot of things about you. I know that blue is your favorite color; passion plum is your favorite ice cream, even that you like to paint. But, we haven't really discussed anything…intimate."

"And what would you like to know, Mr. Stone?"

"Well, Mrs. Stone, I don't know what you like to do to relax. Do you like bubble baths, or massages, or anything?"

"I like all of those things. I've never had a massage, though. What do you do to relax?"

"I personally enjoy a good massage. Sore muscles all the time, you know."

"Would you like one from your wife?" she asked. She knew she was playing with fire. But, she couldn't help it. Flirting just came out of her mouth naturally. Tidus took a deep breath and debated silently. His brain was having a mental fight. One part said 'don't you dare let her touch your body, you have a girlfriend', while the other side screamed 'Please touch me, Yuna'.

He shook his head. "We better not."

She smiled secretly. She was glad that he had declined. She didn't really know what she would have done if he had agreed.

"Who was your first?" she asked suddenly.

He raised an eyebrow. "My first what?"

She shrugged shyly. "You know." She prayed he didn't say Darcy.

"Oh. Well…um…it was…" _What was that girl's name? Oh, boy. This was exactly why he had stopped drinking. Tell her something_!

"Her name was Bethany." And it might have been. He wouldn't swear he hadn't bedded a girl named that once.

"Were you in love with her?"

He groaned. "Yuna, this is going to sound harsh, but guys…it's not about love…"

"Well, what's it about then? Relief?" She wasn't so innocent. She knew all about sex, she just wasn't participating yet.

"Yeah, something like that," he said, grateful that she understood. "So, who was your first?"

She fidgeted, her cheeks burning. "I…um…haven't…not yet…"

His eyes widened. "What? You're a virgin?"

"You make it sound unbelievable!"

To him, it was. He didn't know they still made those. Wow. Yuna was still a virgin. But, all of those guys…

"You're a tease," he accused slowly.

She gave him a wicked smile. "That's right. So what about it? I'm not ready for that. I don't even have a boyfriend, anyway," she said, realizing she was making up an excuse for her virginity.

He stared at her, intrigued. "So, um, have you ever…had one?"

"Had one…?" Her mind worked quickly, her cheeks burning again. "Tidus!"

He'd only asked because he was trying to find out just how innocent she really was. He silently wished he hadn't asked about her sexual status. Now, it was going to be damn near impossible not to want her. Right now, his body screamed, _let me be your first_! _I'll do anything_!

He shrugged. "I'm your husband. I should know these things," he said innocently, though he was dying for the information.

"Um…yes, I've had one…" she said, refusing to elaborate.

"Did you…do it…or somebody else?"

"Tidus…I can't…"

"Yes, you can. You can tell me anything," he said quickly. He hadn't even realized his breathing had picked up.

She couldn't. It was too embarrassing. Even if she wanted to share these things with him. She took a deep breath. For some reason, she trusted him. Or maybe she just wanted to.

"I…did it…" she admitted, covering her face with her hands.

He reached over and turned his phone off. His heart was pounding in his chest.

She finally put her hands down and looked at him. She didn't know what he was thinking. His face was completely expressionless. She had stirred up something hot in her veins with that confession.

"So, um…do you think the hail storm is going to continue?" she asked, trying to change the subject. They could hear the sound of the hail pounding the roof. He didn't give a damn about what was going on outside. Then, he kicked himself mentally. He'd better stop. It would be just like the guy to keep talking about this, even though he was dying to know more.

Yuna didn't know what to say or do. He had gotten too quiet. It made her uncomfortable. He didn't say anything, but she noticed the way his eyes skipped from her face, to her neck, until she was certain that he was staring into her cleavage. She scolded herself for not bringing a warmer top to sleep in.

"So, I guess we should get some sleep, huh?" she said, trying to break him out of whatever trance he'd gone into. He blinked suddenly.

"Sleep? Already? I want to keep talking. Don't you?"

She didn't know how to answer. Her own eyes couldn't stay off his bare shoulders in his white tank top. She tried to remember Lulu warning her about playing. She couldn't help it. She liked knowing that the boys wanted her.

"I don't want to talk anymore," she said.

"What do you want to do then?"

"I don't know, but I'll feel better if you kiss me." He hesitated. He really shouldn't. He'd just made a promise that he was going to be faithful to Darcy. However, he knew he couldn't say no to Yuna. He leaned toward her. She moved closer to him, her lips finally touching his again after so long. She couldn't believe how good he tasted. There was a knock on the door suddenly.

"Hey. You decent in there? Come out. We need to get away from the windows. The hail storm has taken a turn for the worst," said Jecht.

* * *

Rikku hummed absently as she lathered her hair. This shower was exactly what she needed. She could hear the hail pounding the roof. She and Gippal had had a nice dinner not too long ago. She loved when Gippal cooked. He was actually pretty good at it. She had left him in his room, strumming his guitar absently, writing another song. She made it a point not to mention anything about his singing. He didn't ask her opinion, either. His parents and Kyriako had gone to West Zanarkand to do some shopping earlier. They had phoned Gippal to tell him that they weren't sure when they'd be home. They were taking shelter from the hail storm. She was a little bit concerned about being alone with Gippal. This was technically the first time they'd been alone in four weeks. Lakkam certainly didn't trust him enough to leave him home alone with Rikku after she had caught him in his bed, exposed. She rinsed her hair. Maybe they could watch a movie.

Suddenly, she felt hands on her hips. She screamed. Gippal laughed. She hadn't even heard the door open.

"Gippal, you scared me! What are you doing in here?" she demanded.

"Taking in the view. Lookin' good, Rik." She didn't know what to do. This was the first time any boy had seen her completely naked. She wiped the water out of her eyes and turned to face him.

"Gippal, you had no right to come in here."

"I'm your husband. I have every right. Besides, I needed to shower, anyway. So, why not do it together?" he shrugged, reaching for the soap. Rikku averted her eyes everywhere else besides his naked body. He smiled, watching her discomfort. Rikku was so innocent. He could scare the hell out of her with the way his mind worked.

"I'm done. I'm getting out," she said, trying to step around him.

"Well, that's no fun," he said, scrubbing his chest. Her eyes watched the cloth move across his muscled form. He moved it lower across his stomach. Rikku felt paralyzed. She couldn't take her eyes off that cloth or his magnificent body. He knew that she watching. He moved it lower, vigorously scrubbing his private area. She felt her cheeks burning.

"I'm really getting out," she insisted. He tossed the cloth aside, and pulled her close, her body pressing against his. Before she could protest, he pressed his lips against hers. She wanted to fight it. She tried to fight it. But, as usual, when Gippal kissed her, she was defenseless. He moved to rinse off and turn the water off. She stood there, shivering, hot sensations running through her body. He got out of the tub, wrapped a towel around his waist, and turned to her. He held another towel open for her. She stepped out of the tub as he wrapped her body in the thick towel. He picked her up, neither of them speaking. Rikku knew that without a doubt, her virgin status was about to be none existent.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ch. 13 Spring Break**

"Well, some of the reports I've been reading have been interesting. But, honestly, have you kids ever heard of too much information? Phoenix, I don't really need to know that Gatta…um…shaves certain parts of his anatomy, okay? But, they're all pretty good. You've been nosy. I like it. Today is the last day of the house arrangements. Next week, we'll delve into another aspect of being married. Finances."

"Oh, for a second, I thought you were about to say children," said Calli, with obvious relief.

"What's wrong with having kids? I thought we put it in our future plans that we were having two," said Datto.

"Datto, I don't know if I want to get pregnant. What's going to happen to my figure?"

"Now, your being ridiculous. I want kids."

"Well, I don't."

"Um…I see that we have some marital conflict here. It's important to know these things about your future husband or wife before you get married. Something such as having kids is something that should be discussed way in advance. And it saves time. Well, that's all for today. Enjoy your weekend. I know I will," Mr. Isaaru said, dismissing them.

Wakka turned to Lulu. He wondered what she was doing tomorrow. It was Valentine's Day. Of course, he suspected that she might have plans with Seymour, but he didn't really care. He didn't have any specific plans. He had to work.

"So, um, I guess you got a big romantic night planned for tomorrow, ya?" he asked. She paused in putting her notes together. Seymour hadn't mentioned anything. And she had to admit that she didn't want to spend the most romantic night of the year with him, anyway.

"I'm not really into romance, remember? I'll probably go to a movie. Nothing planned, though."

"Movie, huh? What's playing?"

"I want to go check out The Sandworm. Have you seen it?"

"No. Wanna go with me? It's not a date, ya."

She knew what he was saying. That's what Seymour would think it was. And she really did want to go with Wakka, anyway.

"Okay. It's a…outing. I'll call you."

Yuna quietly gathered her belongings. She and Tidus hadn't really discussed the kiss that had happened in his bedroom. It was like it had never happened. Again. In fact, he hadn't really given her the attention she had been hoping for since she'd told him she was a virgin. Maybe it had turned him off.

"Well, have a nice weekend," she said, standing. She wasn't sure how she was going to spend Valentine's Day herself. Tonight, she was having a sleepover with Lulu and Rikku. He looked up at her.

"You have a good one, too." He wanted to add a lot of other things, but couldn't. He definitely wanted to ask her out for Valentine's. He saw a small figure out of the corner of his right eye in the rear doorway. He turned completely. Darcy. She waved. He nodded. Her Dad's old car had clunked out, so he was her ride home.

Yuna noticed Darcy as well. She sighed deeply, and left the room. She knew that Tidus obviously wanted his relationship with her very much. He had left the house for two hours yesterday afternoon. She had a feeling that he'd been with Darcy. He was driving her crazy! Now she understood what it felt like to be teased. She waved goodbye to Paine as she left the building. Baralai appeared shortly after. He paused when he saw her.

"Hi, Yuna. How's it going?"

"Fine." She wanted to pretend that all was well, but she couldn't. She saw Darcy and Tidus leaving, her hand clutching his.

"So, um, what are you doing tomorrow night?" Baralai asked, diverting her attention back to him.

"I don't have any plans."

"Let's go out then. No one should spend Valentine's alone," he insisted. His comment made her think about Braska. Maybe she should keep him company. No. He would resent it.

"Okay, Baralai."

He smiled. "Great. You won't regret it." She watched him walk away. She turned and headed down the hallway slowly.

"Hey, Yuna," greeted Letty.

"Hi, Letty," she said, eying the huge white teddy bear he was holding.

He held it out. "This is for you. Happy Valentine's." She didn't know what to say. It was a nice gift.

"Thanks, Letty. I love it."

He smiled. "You're welcome. Say, why don't we go out tomorrow to celebrate?"

"I can't. I have plans."

He frowned slightly. "Damn. I couldn't think of anyone else I wanted to spend Valentine's with." She smiled. This was really sweet of Letty, but she'd already made plans with Baralai.

"I'm really sorry, Letty."

"I tell you what. If you'll have lunch with me on Sunday, I might forgive you."

She giggled. "Okay. It's a deal."

"Great. I'll be waiting," he said, stepping up to her and kissing her cheek. After Letty left, she felt a bit better. It was nice to know that there were some boys out there that actually were interested in her. She put the bear in the passenger seat of the jeep.

Tidus kept an eye on traffic as he drove through downtown. Darcy reached over and placed a hand on his thigh.

"You were fantastic yesterday. I don't know where that intense animal hunger came from, but I liked it a lot," she told him.

He smiled weakly. Yuna's virginity weighed heavily on his mind. It was eating him alive. He couldn't think of anything else. He had left the house yesterday afternoon to take a drive to clear his mind, and get away from the object of his desire. The drive hadn't helped. If anything, it made everything worse. Before he knew it, he was at Darcy's house. He felt guilty about it.

"Yeah, well, it had been a while, you know," he said, evasively.

"What are you doing tonight?" she asked suddenly.

"I'm hanging out with Wakka. Why?"

"I just thought that since you were off house arrangement, that we could spend it together."

He nodded. He knew that. But, he had already told Wakka he was coming over.

"It's fine. We have tomorrow. What are we doing, anyway? Maybe we should go out to dinner. It could be romantic. Or, you could book us a room. You're eighteen. We could spend the night together," she said.

He kept his emotions hidden. He had become a pro since he'd started dating her. He didn't know how he felt about it. Truly, if Yuna had suggested such a thing, he would have the room by lunch tomorrow. He wondered what she was doing for Valentine's. She probably had a date, he thought bitterly, feeling an unexpected surge of jealousy run through his veins.

* * *

"So, who wants to dish first?" Lulu asked, sitting on the corner of Yuna's bed.

"You can start," Rikku volunteered, carefully painting her nails bright pink.

"Okay. I think I like Wakka," she said.

Yuna's eyes bulged. Did she just say that she think she liked Wakka? Didn't Lulu tell her once that she was completely head over heels in love with Seymour? And could possibly see herself marrying him?

Rikku paused in her painting. "What? You like Wakka?"

Lulu smiled slowly. "I think I do. He makes me feel…different. He's a lot of fun and he's not moody. In fact, I've never seen him upset. He's really sweet, too, and considerate, and…"

"Yeah, I can tell you definitely like him," acknowledged Rikku.

"What about Seymour?" Yuna asked.

"What about him? He and I…I don't think it's going to work out."

"Apparently not. Hey, did you and Wakka…?" Rikku asked.

"Rikku! Is that the only reason you think I like him?"

"Couldn't hurt."

"Well, no. We didn't. But…I did see him naked," she said, picking up a pillow and tossing it at Rikku.

"What! You saw Wakka naked?" Yuna asked, her mouth open.

"It was an accident…but, yes…and well…let's just say…I wouldn't mind seeing it again."

"You have a dirty mind!" Rikku yelled, tossing the pillow back.

"Yes, I do," Lulu admitted.

"Okay…so when are you going to dump Seymour? You'll want to do it before prom," advised Rikku.

"I have no intention of going to prom with Seymour." She was going to tell him soon that things weren't working out for her…or her body.

"Good idea. Do you like this color, Yuna? Oh...and...um I slept with Gippal…maybe I should go with a darker pink," Rikku babbled. Yuna stared at her.

"You slept with Gippal? When?" Lulu asked.

Rikku smiled sheepishly. "Two weeks ago, at his house."

Yuna tossed a pillow at her. "You've been keeping this secret for two weeks! How was it?"

Rikku wasn't sure how to describe it exactly. The first two times had been really gentle and romantic. Which she understood now were solely for her benefit. The third time, she didn't know what the hell to think. Gippal had indeed turned into the animal she secretly suspected he was. She had surprisingly enjoyed it, but it scared her, too.

"Let's just say…Gippal…he's pretty limber," she said, her green eyes wide.

"What does that mean?" Yuna asked, confused. Lulu wasn't lost at all.

"She enjoyed it, Yuna, that's all."

"Wow. I'm the only one left."

"I recommend it," said Rikku. It certainly had put a pep in her step. Gippal was right. They should have done it a long time ago.

"I want to," Yuna admitted. She was certain that she was finally ready to experience lovemaking.

"Well, that's good. It can't be Tidus, though. He has a girlfriend. That would make you skanky," warned Rikku.

"Rikku!"

"Well, it will."

"She's right, Yuna."

"But, he's the one I want." She was certain of that.

"Maybe you should sleep with Baralai. It'd still be a good choice," reasoned Rikku.

Yuna sighed. At this rate, it would be either Baralai or Letty. She really didn't want to lose her virginity to a guy she just "liked" in a friendly manner. She was pretty certain that she more than "liked" Tidus.

"Well, spring break is coming up soon. Gippal wants to go to Besaid," said Rikku.

"Sounds like fun, but I know my mother would never approve of me going," said Lulu.

"And my Dad would? Please. I told Gippal we had to have a chaperone," said Rikku.

Yuna was certain also that Braska wouldn't permit her to go, either, without supervision. Especially with boys. But going to Besaid would be a lot of fun. An island paradise. It would be just the vacation and distraction she needed.

* * *

"So, you got plans for tonight, ya?" Wakka asked on Saturday morning. Tidus picked up a forkful of eggs before answering. He had spent the night at Wakka's as planned.

"Not really," he finally answered.

"A guy with a girlfriend don't got plans on Valentine's? What's this world coming to, ya?"

Tidus shrugged.

"Maybe he doesn't know what to do on an occasion such as this. It's not surprising. I would suggest booking a room at The Ifrit, have a romantic dinner downstairs, and then go back up for dessert. Oh, and get flowers," said Auron. He had been at The Ifrit many times. He approved of the hotel.

_Who the hell asked you?_ Tidus thought irritably. He already felt guilty about having sex with Darcy, anyway. He didn't need to spend a whole night with her in a room where sex was inevitable.

"I'm not into the romance thing," he told Auron.

Auron grunted. "I didn't mean for you. It's for her. It'll make her feel special, and then…she'll make you feel special. I should write a book."

Wakka agreed. _Old as hell, but he knows his shit, ya!_

Auron finished eating and left the kitchen. Wakka turned to Tidus.

"I see you're still pretending to like this girl, ya."

"I'm not. I just don't want to break up with her while she's grieving."

Wakka gave him a pointed stare. "How much grieving she been doing on her back, ya?"

"That's not fair! What am I supposed to do? I didn't want to take advantage of her, but…she wanted it, too, and…"

"You don't got no self control, ya. I ain't had sex in four weeks."

"Four weeks? Is that all? I hadn't had sex since November!"

"Okay. You win. I couldn't do that, ya."

"Anyway, there's no way I'm booking a room. I'll take Darcy out to dinner. What's a good restaurant?"

"Well, you can go to Pierre's. It's a fancy place downtown. Better call and get reservations now, ya."

"Fine."

* * *

"Yuna, I swear, if one more florist shows up here today, I'm turning him away," Braska warned, as he carried a bouquet of pink roses into the living room. Yuna shrugged helplessly as she looked at the covered coffee table.

"Who are they from?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said, handing them to her. He looked at the flowers, bewildered. He knew that the boys liked her, but…_How'd a girl get this popular? Or more correctly…what had she **done **to become this popular? _

Yuna read the card. They were from Jassu. The other bouquets of flowers had come from other various members of the Abes. She frowned slightly. Even though she knew he had a girlfriend, she'd been secretly hoping one would be from Tidus. No such luck.

"So, um, Father. Spring break is coming up soon…and I'd like to go to Besaid."

Braska paused in looking over a stack of bills. "With who, Yuna?"

She shrugged carelessly. "Just a bunch of kids from school."

He frowned instantly. "With no adult supervision?"

"Well, we're trying to find someone to go. You know, it wouldn't be proper and all."

"You're telling me."

She was conflicted about going, anyway. Braska had improved slightly, but she still worried about him. And to be gone for a whole week. She didn't know if she could do it. Maybe they wouldn't be able to find a chaperone, and then, she wouldn't be forced to make a decision.

"If you find a chaperone, who I intend on speaking to, you may go." He didn't want her sitting around the entire week of spring break, worrying about him, anyway. She was young. He wanted her to have fun with her friends.

"Okay. I'll see if we can find someone." She got up to go get ready for her date with Baralai. She should have been anticipating this very much. But, her heart wasn't really in it. She heard the doorbell ring again as she pulled a black dress from her closet.

"Yuna, I'm warning you," Braska threatened dangerously. She turned and saw that he was holding an enormous bouquet of white roses.

"Wow. They're beautiful," she said, taking them and avoiding Braska's intense stare. She turned and placed them on the vanity table. She picked up the card. _Something beautiful for someone beautiful. Tidus._

* * *

Tidus walked the mall, holding his huge bouquet of baby blue roses. The florist had assured him that people in Spira requested roses of all colors, all the time. He had an hour to go before he was supposed to pick up Darcy. He debated getting candy.

"Come on, lad. She'll really appreciate it," beckoned the candy store man, holding a huge box of chocolates. After he had spent an obscene amount of gil on that box, he left the mall. It was his plan to stop by Yuna's on his way to Darcy's to give her the candy and the roses. He knew that he was a rat for doing it, but he couldn't help it. He had to let Yuna know that he was thinking about her today.

He'd gotten a single red rose for Darcy. Sweet, but nothing that screamed _I Love You_. He was more than grateful that the traffic wasn't awful tonight. The reasoning behind the blue roses was that it was her favorite color, and he wanted her to know that he remembered everything about her. How ironic that the house arrangement had ended a day before Valentine's. This should have been a sign. He was a fool. He parked his car in the garage and got out quickly. He picked up the bouquet and candy, wanting to get Jecht's approval, and headed for the house.

He stepped into the house. "Dad? Where are you?" he called.

"In my room," Jecht called, from the right.

Tidus rounded the corner. He stared. Darcy was sitting on the couch, dressed in a red dress, apparently ready for their date. She squealed when she saw the roses and candy.

"For me? You shouldn't have," she gushed, rushing over. _I didn't._

"Why are you here? I'm supposed to pick you up," he said, as she grabbed the candy and roses.

"I took a taxi over. I was so anxious to see you."

Jecht studied his son's face. _Don't try that poker face shit on me. I know you. You didn't buy that stuff for her. _

"I'm going to go up and get ready then," Tidus said, turning to leave. Jecht watched his face change expression once he had turned. He looked crushed. _Lucky for you, I'm your Dad, and I know you. _He left Zalora and Darcy examining the many chocolates in the huge box. He walked into Tidus' room without knocking. He watched Tidus slowly pull his shirt off. Tidus immediately recognized Jecht's scent. His favorite cologne, Bahamut Beast, filled the air.

"What is it, Dad?" he asked, his back turned.

"I know that you didn't buy that stuff for Darcy." Tidus shrugged, without replying.

"You bought it for Yuna."

Tidus shrugged again. "Well, she won't get it," he said.

"She got some roses from you."

"What? I just bought those."

"I know you. I sent some over to her."

Tidus didn't know what to think. A part of him wanted to be angry at his Dad for meddling in his personal life, but the other part was more than grateful. He floundered with his next words.

"So…yeah. She got 'em. She'll thank you Monday. I'm gonna get back downstairs to make sure those women don't eat all the damn chocolates," Jecht said, stepping back and closing the door quickly. He knew that Tidus would have had a difficult time thanking him, anyway.

* * *

"Aren't you going out tonight, Paine?" Folene asked, as she settled into her rocker. She was preparing to watch some old love stories on television.

"Yeah, Granny. Me and Talynda are going to hit the clubs."

"The clubs? Oh. I was hoping you were doing something with Baralai."

"Nah. We're not on arrangement anymore. He can do whatever he wants now. And so can I," she shrugged.

And she was relieved. After that bizarre sex romp with Baralai on his guest room floor, she thought the break was just what they both needed. After all, she could never be serious about a guy like Baralai, anyway. He was a joke. She chuckled to herself. _But, he was pretty damn good in bed_, her brain argued. She squirmed uncomfortably. She had done everything possibly conceivable to keep these knawing thoughts out of her head. They kept sneaking back in.

She cleared her throat. She needed a drink. She picked up her jacket and put it on. Folene watched her.

"There's something in that bag for you," she said, pointing to the huge white bag by the television. Paine frowned. Granny knew better than to waste money. They didn't have a dime to spare. And it wasn't a real holiday or her birthday. She opened the bag. Her eyes widened.

"What's this?" she asked, pulling the long, beautiful, thick black coat from the bag.

Folene didn't know what to say. She wasn't supposed to tell Paine where it had really come from. She had promised. "You needed a coat, dear. It's freezing out there," she said.

"Granny. You know we can't afford this," she complained, but lost her annoyance once she saw her grandmother's face. She put the coat on.

"Thanks," Paine said.

_Don't thank me. Thank Baralai._

* * *

"So, Mr. Isaaru, what are you doing during spring break?" Gippal asked lazily, his head resting on his arm. His eye kept impatiently watching the clock. The day he had been waiting patiently for the past four weeks had finally arrived.

"I'm going to take advantage of the early spring weather and relax." The freezing Zanarkand winter was finally over. And Gippal was grateful as his eye took in Rikku's golden thighs. Warmer weather meant fewer clothes.

Gippal nodded, though he didn't really give a damn how any teacher here spent their vacation. The finance part of this class had been torture. It had taken him and Rikku forever to come up with a budget they could afford. He had insisted repeatedly that his rock star royalties could take care of them.

"What's the last section of this class?" asked Baralai.

Since the tortuous, yet fucking intense sex he'd had with Paine, he was hoping this class would just come to an end. She was definitely not his type of girl at all. He didn't want to give her any reason to think otherwise. He didn't even know why the hell he had bought that coat. Well, it was freezing outside. Yeah, that was it.

"I can't really get into it now. You'll find out in a week," promised Mr. Isaaru.

"What are you doing for the break?" Lulu asked, as she turned to face Wakka. The…outing had turned out wonderful. They had both had a lot of fun. She had lied to Seymour, telling him that she was sick that night. It was the first time she had lied to him. It made her feel liberated. She was slowly working up the confidence to tell him that it was over.

"I'm going to Besaid with the Abes. What about you?"

"I don't know. Rikku mentioned Besaid. I would go, but there's not going to be parental supervision."

"Oh. Coach Luzzu is going with us. Is that okay?"

"It's wonderful." She knew that Coach Luzzu would assure her mother that she was in good hands. He was a coach, after all. He had a reputation for keeping things in order.

"Well, I'll see you at the bus, ya. We're going to ride to the airship station together this afternoon. Be there at three-thirty."

"Where's the bus pickup going to be?"

"Here at the school."

"I can't wait," she said, her eyes lingering on his bronze arms. He was wearing a yellow tank top and blue shorts.

"Me, neither," he assured her. _Lulu in a bikini? Praise be to Yevon, ya! _

* * *

"So, your coach is going to be supervising. Poor sucker. He's got his work cut out for him," Jecht said, as he watched Tidus carry his gym bag into the garage.

"That's right."

"Well, have fun. Don't do too much scratching."

Tidus smiled weakly. He hated when Jecht said that. As if he had an incurable itch.

"Well, I'm going around back to the pool. Me and Zalora are going to take advantage of this warm weather."

"Heh." _Don't do too much scratching in the pool._

He got in his car and drove off. He was on his way to pick up Darcy. He couldn't back out of taking her, since he had already asked her. A naughty thought came to his mind. Leave her. Just drive to the school. He wished he could. Then, he felt guilty again. Yuna had thanked him for the roses just as Jecht predicted. He was happy about that. He hoped she was doing something fun with her vacation. He pulled up to Darcy's. He honked the horn. No answer. He honked again. Where was she? He got out and walked up to the door. He knocked. Still, no answer. He shrugged. He was going to leave her. The thought became increasingly delicious. He returned to his car to do just that. He started backing up.

"Wait, Ti! I'm coming!" he heard her call. She was running up the walkway. Where had she been? She opened the back door and tossed her bag inside. Then she plopped into the passenger seat.

"Where were you? I was close to leaving you."

"I went down to Mr. Fowler's. My Dad's there, playing a card game. I just wanted to tell him goodbye."

He shrugged, feeling guilty that he was annoyed she'd made it.

"This is going to be so much fun. I can't wait."

He turned the volume up on the stereo without replying. He was at the school soon enough. He parked the car and got out. He could see several groups of kids by the bus. He grabbed his bag and waited for Darcy.

He saw Wakka and walked up. "Hey."

"Hey. We're about to leave. Coach Luzzu is checking some stuff out, ya."

"Was Auron okay with us not working tomorrow?"

"Uh…not really. We got to work the next two weekends in a row. Is that cool?"

"Fine."

"Hey, Wakka, you're from this island, right?" asked Darcy. She remembered Tidus mentioning it.

"Ya. It's a pretty place. Just wait and see."

"Alright, let's go, people," Coach Luzzu said, boarding the bus and sitting behind the wheel. He couldn't believe he had been talked into this. But, the Griffins made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He needed the money. Blitz season would begin again soon.

Tidus followed Darcy up onto the bus, and took a seat. Wakka sat across from him. He listened as Wakka described some of the music and food.

Darcy put on her IPod and closed her eyes. She could use a nice nap. Tidus felt his eyes widen as he watched Yuna step onto the bus. What was she doing here? She waved at him. He waved back. She took a seat up front, next to Baralai. Letty sat behind them quickly, with Jassu at his side. Tidus gritted his teeth. The Abes. Again.

"I hear there's a nude beach on the island," Jassu said to Yuna. She was truly at a loss for words. She had heard of no such thing. Did Coach Luzzu know that?

"There is not a nude beach. Come off it, Jassu," complained Baralai. He turned, purposefully to look at Jassu, but his eyes scanned the bus. Everyone was on. He didn't see Paine. He frowned slightly. He guessed she couldn't make it.

"I don't think so, Jassu," smiled Yuna.

"What would you do if there was one?" Letty asked.

"I don't know. Would you have the guts to do it?"

"Yeah. But, only if you joined me," he assured her. Baralai rolled his eyes. _How cheesy_. _Could your desperation to fuck her be any more obvious? _

Yuna half listened as Letty and Jassu insisted that there were many places on the island that were clothing optional. She looked between their heads at Tidus, who was talking to Wakka. She looked over at Darcy, who appeared to be sleeping. In fact, she could be heard snoring. She looked at Jassu again. Was that his breath? Or Letty's?

"Here, Yuna. I brought a pamphlet of the 'real' things that happen on the island," Botta said, handing it across the aisle to her.

"Thanks, Botta."

He smiled. "Anything for a pretty girl."

Coach Luzzu almost barfed into his bag of chips. _Is that how teenage boys, his Abes in fact, scored these days?_ He was glad their playing skills weren't this horrible.


	14. Chapter 14

**Ch. 14 Abe Overload**

The drive to the airship station took two hours. Baralai didn't mind. Yuna had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Well, she had fallen asleep and he had placed her head on his shoulder. He didn't even mind the small amount of drool dripping on it. It was Coach Luzzu's Yevon awful singing that was getting on his damn nerves. He imagined this is what a dog trying to sing would sound like.

"Here we are, kids. Finally. I'm going to get a nice nap on the airship" Coach Luzzu announced, as he cut the engine. Baralai turned and gently woke Yuna. She woke up, disoriented, her multi-colored eyes bleary, yet stunning in the afternoon sun.

Darcy stretched. They were at the airship. Good. She could still hear Tidus and Wakka talking. Had they spent the whole drive talking? She turned to him.

"Come on. We're here," he said to her, waiting to follow the other students off the bus. Darcy looked out the window. Her eyes bulged. _Was that freaking Yuna? Standing next to a good-looking boy with dark skin? What was she doing here? Why hadn't Tidus told her?_

She turned and followed the others off the bus. Tidus squinted at the sun, and turned to her.

"Did you know Yuna was coming?" she whispered to him.

He shook his head. "No."

She didn't believe him. In fact, she was certain that he was going to pull away from her house without her. Of course, she hadn't witnessed anything significant between him and Yuna yet. And maybe that guy was Yuna's boyfriend. She felt better with that thought in place.

"Okay, everybody, grab your things. Let's go. We have a schedule to keep," Coach Luzzu said, putting on a pair of dark sunglasses.

Everyone gathered their belongings and followed the coach into the airship station to board the airship. The airship didn't have seats. Since they were mostly used to hold cargo, the Spiran officials didn't think they were necessary. Plus, they believed you were safer on the floor than strapped in a seat, anyway.

Coach Luzzu found a quiet corner and settled down. Everyone soon found a comfortable spot. Darcy noticed that most of the girls were sitting together in a corner.

"Come join us, Darcy," called Yuna.

She ignored her, and settled down next to Tidus. He was engaged in a conversation with Datto and Keepa. Wakka decided he would take a nap. Gippal held court in another corner with Baralai, Letty, and a few others.

"So, what's the story with Tidus' girlfriend? She acts like she's scared to leave his side," said Rikku. She was sure they were a sufficient distance away from being overheard. Not that she cared.

Yuna shrugged. She had no idea.

"I think I'm going to take a nap," Lulu announced, using her bag as a pillow.

"That's a good idea," Calli said, as she rolled on her side.

"I just took a nap," Yuna complained. Though she was sure she could probably take another. The airship was so soothing.

* * *

"We're here! Welcome to Besaid, ya!" Wakka yelled, surprised that he was so excited about being back on his island again.

"Come on. We're supposed to check in at Omega Ruins. I hope that's just the hotel's name," said Coach Luzzu. The students followed him off the airship, where they had landed on the beach. Coach Luzzu had to repeatedly tell them to hurry up. They kept lagging behind, trying to see everything along the walk.

"You've got the rest of the afternoon to explore the beach. I'm hungry," he barked in the voice he used specifically for his players. The Abes obeyed, hurrying along the wooded path.

They finally arrived at Omega Ruins. Thank goodness it wasn't in ruins. They followed Coach Luzzu inside of the small lobby.

"Coach Luzzu. We have reservations," he told the desk clerk.

The clerk, dressed in nothing but a tank top and shorts, checked into his computer. "Right. The school group, ya?" he asked.

Coach Luzzu nodded. "That's right."

"Six rooms. Here you go," he said, handing the room keys over to him.

"Alright guys. I did the math in my head. There are a total of sixteen of us. The guys will split three rooms, three to a room. The girls will split two, three in each room. I have my own room for obvious reasons. If it's not, too damn bad. Go put your stuff down, get settled in for a moment, and meet back here in fifteen minutes. I'm ready to damn eat."

"Want to room together, ya?" Wakka asked Tidus.

"Sure."

"I'll room with you guys," said Datto. Coach Luzzu handed them a key. They went back outside and headed up the wooden steps that lead to the second floor.

"Okay. It'll be me, Letty, and Gippal," said Baralai. Coach Luzzu shrugged and gave them a key.

"Choosing a Psyche over an Abe, Baralai? Where's your allegiance?" Botta complained.

"I'm just cooler," insisted Gippal.

Botta, Keepa, and Jassu took the key and headed out.

Coach Luzzu turned to the girls. "Um, I guess us three will room together," Lulu said, indicating herself, Rikku, and Yuna. So Darcy, Calli, and Talynda took the last key. Coach Luzzu followed them up and headed into his room. His stomach growled.

"Patience," he demanded.

* * *

"Wakka, is it really necessary to wear this shirt?" Baralai complained, looking at the green shirt with white flowers on it that Wakka had given him.

"Only on the first night, ya. There's a party on the beach for newcomers."

"Okay, whatever," Baralai said, putting the shirt on.

Gippal couldn't believe it. Couldn't he have been given a shirt that actually complimented him? The yellow shirt he was wearing was not his most flattering color.

"It doesn't matter what I wear. I look good in everything," Letty said, in his tan colored shirt. All of the shirts had the white flower design on them. They were waiting on the girls in front of the hotel. As a group, they would head to the party.

Keepa slapped at a mosquito on his arm. Finally, they saw some girls coming. Talynda was heading down the stairs first. Keepa smiled. He'd known the girls would have to wear grass skirts, but he hadn't expected it to look that damn good. Talynda wore her red bikini top, with a green and red lei around her neck. Her blond curls were pulled up into a ponytail. She smiled at them. Jassu raised an interested eyebrow.

Darcy and Calli came down together. They wore outfits similar to Talynda's though Calli's top was purple and Darcy's yellow. Matching leis were around their necks, as well. Datto's eyes lit up. His girl was looking good.

Lulu came down next. Wakka was bringing his exotic drink to his lips, but paused when he saw her. Her orange bikini top struggled to hold all of her ample bosom in place. Letty had a hard time keeping his eyes at a decent level.

Darcy immediately moved to Tidus' side. She thought he looked cute in his blue shirt. She wrapped an arm around his waist. Rikku and Yuna came down together. Everyone was here now. Tidus allowed his eyes to travel slowly from Yuna's bare feet up her shapely legs, even slower up her firm abdomen…the lei blocked his view from her breasts. Her hair was pulled up in its ponytail. Incidentally, her bikini top was blue.

Darcy looked up at him. She followed his line of vision and scowled. Fortunately, Baralai grabbed Yuna's hand and led the way to the party. Once the party was in full swing, Darcy allowed herself to relax and actually began to have fun. The up tempo music, the friendly islanders, the exotic drinks, and the delicious food put her at ease. Tidus had remained by her side all night.

Coach Luzzu sat in a chair, keeping a close eye on everyone. He sipped his drink, and half listened as an old man he didn't know told him all about the fishing season. He would announce that it was time to retire soon. It had been a long evening. This was the best paid vacation he'd had in years. Maybe he could sneak back down here once the students were in their rooms. The old man had said that the adults would be here around midnight.

Wakka was having a great time. He and Lulu spent a lot of time on the sand dancing. He loved the music here. Naturally, he knew that Coach Luzzu wouldn't allow the students to drink. Too bad Coach Luzzu didn't know he knew the bartender. Kendo would make him whatever he wanted to drink, disguising it in a coconut. He had allowed Lulu a few sips of his favorite drink: Volcano Rush.

"We're going to have to retire soon. I'm sure Coach Luzzu promised our parents that he'd have us in bed at a decent hour," Lulu said, having to talk directly in his ear because of the music.

He nodded. If they didn't have a chaperone, they could stay out until the sun came up if that were their choice. Teenagers were treated as adults here.

* * *

"Well, who wants to go on the tour of the island? It's going to be pretty informative. You might learn something," Coach Luzzu said on Thursday morning. So far, the kids didn't want to do anything except hang out at the beach. Which was okay, but he was interested in other things. He didn't get any answers.

"Who wants to go to the beach and do nothing all damn day?" he asked. Everyone raised their hand. He smirked. Lazy ass kids. It had rained for the past three days, and they were looking forward to finally being able to enjoy the beach again. Playing charades with Coach Luzzu in the hotel lobby hadn't been the best time of entertainment. Yuna and Rikku had celebrated a birthday during the week, but the rain had ruined it.

"Fine. I'll meet you down at the beach," he told them, as they hurried off.

Darcy strolled behind Tidus slowly. They hadn't had any time for romance as she had hoped they would. The rain hadn't helped. But, she was certain that tonight would be fun. There was a luau going on. They would be heading back to Zanarkand on Saturday. It had been a good week. When the weather was nice, she worked on her tan on the beach, lazily watching the boys play volleyball. At night, the parties never ended. She laid her beach towel out carefully, and then lay across it on her stomach. She was certain she looked good in her black bikini. She wondered if she could get Tidus to put some lotion on her back. She turned to ask him, but he was already at the ocean's edge, getting ready to go in.

"Hey, Darcy, want some company?" she heard, and squinted up at Yuna. She was wearing a hot pink bikini, with a white sarong tied around her waist.

Darcy shrugged. Yuna put her towel down and sat next to her. She honestly had no idea why she kept trying to be friendly to the girl. But, she felt bad for her. She didn't know anybody.

"So, Yuna, is that guy, Baralai your boyfriend?" Darcy asked, deciding to use this as an opportunity to drill all the information she could out of her.

Yuna smiled as she rubbed lotion on her arms. "No. I don't have a boyfriend."

She missed Darcy's grimace. "Well, how come? He's cute."

"I'm not ready for a boyfriend yet. It's fun being single." And it was. The Abes had been very attentive to her this entire trip. From bringing her drinks to dancing. She was never bored.

"I guess. But, I don't have that problem. I'm dating the most gorgeous guy on the beach," smiled Darcy.

Yuna winced. She certainly couldn't argue with her about that. "I guess you guys are pretty serious, huh?" she asked.

Darcy propped on an elbow, facing her. "We sure are. I think he's going to pop the question soon."

"The question? Do you mean marriage? Aren't you a little young for that?"

Darcy shrugged. "We love each other. Why wait? He said he can't wait to have me for his wife. Can you blame him? Look at me."

Yuna frowned. She sure was conceited. She was a pretty girl, but she didn't expect to see her on the cover of Luca Fashions or anything.

"Hey, come play volleyball with us!" called Rikku.

Yuna turned to Darcy. "Want to?"

"Okay." _Anything so you'll leave me alone_.

Pretty soon, the girls had a friendly game of volleyball going on. They played for a while. Some of the boys came over to sit down to watch.

"If we score the next point, we win," Phoenix warned as she served the ball over the net. Rikku managed to smack it back across. Baralai watched the game behind a pair of sunglasses. Gippal nudged him. "We need to do something about Coach Luzzu tonight. I'm sick of his curfew."

Baralai nodded. It certainly interfered with his seduction plans for Yuna. He was certain that out here, under the stars, the exotic music filling their ears, Yuna would be putty in his hands. He focused on the game again. He liked watching the girls bounce around in their bikinis.

Darcy looked over at Tidus quickly. She had hoped to find him giving her an encouraging smile. He wasn't. His head was turned slightly, watching Yuna hit the ball. She gritted her teeth. Her hands were clenched together, because of her height; it was difficult to just smack the ball over the net. She saw the ball coming toward her. She took a step closer to the net deliberately. With all of her might, she hit the ball up, under the net, and smacked Yuna in the face.

Yuna let out a small yelp, the pain of the ball stinging her face. She reached up slowly to touch her nose. It was stinging.

"Yuna, are you okay?" shot out Baralai, instantly on his feet and rushing over. The other Abes, including Tidus, rushed to her side.

"Sorry, Yuna," Darcy called innocently. She didn't bother to go over to check and see if the girl was okay. She started cleaning her nails.

Yuna felt the blood slowly seeping from her nose. "Step aside. Let me take a look," commanded Coach Luzzu. The Abes stepped to the side. Coach Luzzu examined Yuna's nose.

"Come on. Let's go see Mr. Calhoun," he told her, gently pulling her away. Tidus handed her a few napkins to press to her nose. He watched them stumble away. Baralai took off after them, with Letty at his heels.

"I guess I don't know my own strength, huh?" Darcy replied, appearing at Tidus' side.

"I guess not."

"She'll be okay. Just a little nose bleed. Let's go swimming." He followed her to the water, turning back to watch Yuna and Coach Luzzu disappear into the woods.

"Ti, you believe me when I say it was an accident, right? I don't know the girl well enough to hurt her on purpose," Darcy said, at the ocean's edge.

"I know," he said, but he really didn't.

* * *

Yuna was completely miserable. This trip had taken a turn for the worst. First, she had to listen to Darcy's confession that she and Tidus were like peas and carrots. Then, she'd taken a blitzball to the nose. Dr. Calhoun had assured her that it was fine, but he'd put a bandage on it just in case. She sat on a log, holding another Pink Flan. Wakka had gotten it for her from the bar. He could tell she was depressed and needed a real drink. She had watched the other students participate in a game of limbo. Gippal had won. Now, a little after twelve, she was beginning to feel the effects of the flan.

Coach Luzzu was passed out in his room. From what she understood, Botta and Keepa had put a sleeping antidote in his drink. She wished she had asked for some. Lulu and Wakka were dancing slowly on the sand, their bodies pressed extremely close to each other. _Get a room, already!_ She thought irritably. She didn't know where Rikku and Gippal had run off to. She turned up the last of her drink miserably.

"Here, have another," Baralai said, taking the empty coconut from her hands and giving her a fresh drink. She sipped without replying. He patted her shoulder, and went over to get some of the pig that was being prepared on the other side of the beach. She hadn't had one single moment alone with Tidus the entire week. Thanks to Darcy. _Probably hit me on purpose, _she thought bitterly, turning up the coconut again.

She saw the couple sitting with some of the others around the fire, eating. She hadn't wanted any. Talynda had visited her briefly, complaining about Wakka showing her no attention. _Know what ya mean!_ She had thought sarcastically. Talynda hadn't let it get the best of her, though. She started flirting with Botta. After Yuna finished her third drink, her head begun to spin a bit. Baralai returned with his plate of pig. He sat down clumsily next to her. He'd had his own fair share of drinks tonight. He picked up pieces of pig with his fingers, forgetting everything he'd been taught about proper dinner etiquette.

Letty came over carrying two drinks. He handed one to Yuna, and sat on her opposite side. He laughed. He was drunk. Yuna laughed with him, and quickly took a sip of her new drink. Baralai laughed, pieces of pig falling out of his mouth.

"Hey, Lu, how about we get out of here, ya?" asked Wakka. She looked up from his shoulder.

"And go where?"

"I can get a room. Want to?"

Lulu didn't hesitate. "Yes. Let's go."

Yuna watched the two of them hurry off and down a path through the woods. She knew what they were going to go do. _Lucky them, _she thought grudgingly. She was happy for Lulu. She took another drink of the huge glass that Letty had given her.

Tidus kept an eye on Yuna from his place by the fire. He was certain that she was more than a little drunk by now. She kept missing her mouth with the glass she was holding. And laughing. A lot of laughing.

"Guess what I saw in Coach Luzzu's room?" Keepa asked suddenly.

"What?" asked Phoenix.

"Island weed. From Kilika."

Phoenix's dark eyes widened. "Stop lying, Keepa. He doesn't even smoke."

"Maybe he sells it. I saw it. I even stole some of it. Want to sample it?"

"I don't think so."

"Scared?"

"Yes." _Not of the weed. Of waking up naked in bed with you. _

Darcy looked intrigued. It certainly would put her in a better mood. She looked at Tidus. He shook his head. _Why not? They had certainly smoked their fair share of it in Luca_. _So what if he had spent three hours thinking he was a Garuda?_

"Hey, Keepa, let's sample that shit," said Jassu.

"Count me out," said Phoenix.

"Count me in," said Talynda. Botta smiled. He liked this girl's adventurous nature.

"Count me out," said Tidus.

"I might try it," Darcy said. Tidus rolled his eyes and turned his attention back on Yuna again. She could hardly stay seated upright on the log. Baralai's plate fell out of his lap, but he didn't notice. He turned to Yuna and kissed her. Tidus' eyes bulged. To his surprise, Letty broke their kiss and pressed Yuna's lips to his. They kept alternating. Tidus couldn't take his eyes off of them. What the hell was wrong with Yuna?

He smelled the weed burning. "Here, try some. You look tense," Keepa said, holding it out toward him.

"Didn't I say I didn't want any?" he demanded.

"Fine. More for me," Keepa said, taking another hit.

Darcy watched him. He looked pissed. Maybe he had forgotten about keeping his emotions hidden. He got up suddenly and walked around the fire. He grabbed Yuna by the arm, and pulled her off toward the woods. Baralai laughed again, with Letty joining him.

"Tidus, where are we going?" Yuna called angrily. He kept dragging her through the dark wooded paths. What was he doing? What gave him the right? He kept walking. Yuna tried to break free, but his grasp on her wrist was too strong. Finally, he stopped walking and released her. She tried to focus. He had his back to her, probably knowing she was too drunk to run away.

"What are you doing?" she demanded angrily.

He turned to face her. "You're drunk, Yuna. I'm keeping you from doing anything that you'll regret in the morning."

"I wasn't going to regret anything! I knew what I was doing!" She stepped toward him, stumbling a bit.

"Really? You were going to have sex with Baralai, and possibly Letty too?"

"Yes! If I wanted to!"

"Yuna, you don't want to lose your virginity like this. I know you don't."

"You don't know anything! Let me have it now while I have the nerve. I won't have it in the morning."

"No, but you will have one hell of a hangover."

"I don't care! All of my friends are happy, having a good time. Why not me, too?"

"That's your idea of a good time?"

"Right now it is!"

He sighed. She was very drunk, and for some reason, very angry with him. She was close enough to touch him suddenly. She smiled up at him.

"Well, why don't you sleep with me then?"

He shook his head. "No. Not like this."

"This is your entire fault, anyway! If you would quit playing games with me, I wouldn't be so…confused. One minute, your flirting with me, the next, you love your girlfriend…"

"I never said I loved her. Who told you that?"

"No one. It's the way I see it. Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

"What does all of this have to do with anything? Why were you about to sleep with Baralai? Why do you keep flirting with the Abes? I can't deal with it anymore."

"You can't deal with it? You brought your girlfriend here! She injured my nose. And I flirt with those boys because I know it makes you mad!"

He didn't say anything for a long time. Why the hell would she go through the trouble of doing that? Hadn't she told him on more than one occasion that she didn't want a boyfriend? He was confused.

"Yuna, I don't understand. Why would you try to make me jealous?"

Yuna shook her head miserably. She didn't know. She just wanted his attention. She wanted him. She turned to head back to the beach somehow.

He caught her shoulder. "Why, Yuna? Why?" he demanded.

She tossed his arm off. "Because I love you!" she shouted. This time, he stumbled backward a bit. Had he heard her correctly? He couldn't have. Words he had been hoping he would hear. Some day. He was shocked.

"What?" he finally managed.

She shrugged helplessly. "I love you. I guess I'm a fool, huh?"

Before he could answer, she fell forward. He stepped quickly to catch her. She had passed out. He shook her arm.

"Wait, Yuna. Don't pass out yet. We have to finish this." He feared that she wouldn't remember this conversation in the morning. She didn't stir. He picked her up, sighing deeply. His heart was leaping with joy. He couldn't believe it! She loved him! He smiled down at her.

"I wanted to tell you that I love you, too, but I guess it'll have to wait." He started down the path back toward the beach.

Darcy stood up from her perched position from behind the coconut balm. She didn't know what to do. Her whole body was shaking with intense rage. Yuna loved him. She wasn't surprised to hear that. What had shocked her was hearing him say that he loved her, too. That was the first time she had ever heard him say those words. But, not to her._ ! _Her brain screamed. What was she going to do now? She knew without a doubt that he was going to break up with her soon. Hell, maybe even tomorrow. She had to do something. Anything. He belonged to her! Yuna didn't deserve him! She had all those silly boys fighting for her attention! She sank against the tree. Ironically, it began to rain. Pouring. Stupid tropical weather! She needed some more time. The prom was in three weeks. She was going to go with him! She started making her way back to the beach slowly. When she arrived, she noticed that it was deserted. Where was Tidus, anyway? She headed back to the hotel. She saw Calli in the lobby. "Have you seen Tidus?" she asked her.

"He brought Yuna in a while ago, and then he went to his room. How come you're drenched?"

She left the lobby without a word.


	15. Chapter 15

**Ch. 15 Working Mates**

Lulu stopped dead in her tracks in the hallway. She knew that her mother was at work. And yet, she could smell the French vanilla coffee in the air. She put her bags on the floor.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" she called, taking a look inside of the kitchen. Sure enough, the black and silver coffee pot was turned on. She frowned slightly. Her mother would never leave something burning. She turned it off, and decided to get a drink of water. While she sipped her water, her scarlet eyes darted around the kitchen, looking for any notes from her mother. She didn't see any. The phone began to ring. She put her water on the counter and went back out to the hall, where the antique white phone sat on a pedestal.

"Hello?"

"Hi, honey. I'm just calling to make sure you're home okay," said Majestic.

"Mother, why did you leave the coffee pot on? It could have burned the house down."

"I didn't have any coffee this morning."

Lulu suddenly felt a chill down her spine. If her mother hadn't made the coffee, then….there was someone else in the house. Out of the corner of her left eye, she saw a figure. She swallowed. She could make out the blue hair.

"Is anything wrong, dear?" Majestic asked.

"I don't think so," she said, turning completely to look at Seymour. He was sitting in the pink chair in the living room, holding a cup of the coffee. He sipped it calmly, his lavender-blue eyes watching her silently.

"Tell her everything is fine," he said, giving her a frozen smile.

"Everything is fine, Mother," she said, though she didn't really believe it. Her heart beat had picked up considerably since she'd seen him.

"Okay. Well, I have to get back to work. These muffins won't bake themselves, you know," laughed Majestic. Her mother owned a bakery in North Zanarkand.

"Do you want some help?" Lulu asked, hoping her mother would say that she did, and thus, she'd have an escape.

"No, honey. It's slow this morning. Just relax. You've been traveling. I'll see you this evening."

"Okay. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Lulu cradled the receiver slowly. She was determined to be strong and stand up to him. She wasn't going to show fear. She walked to the doorway of the living room.

"So…let me get this straight. You lied to me about being sick on Valentine's. I'm not really upset about that. But I do know that you ditched me to go to a movie with Wakka. I let that slide. Now, you've returned from a tropical vacation with…Wakka. Is there something you would like to tell me?" he asked, his voice ever so calm.

"Yes. There is. I should have told you a while ago. The truth is, that, well…"

"You don't really have to say anything. I can just look at you and tell you've been defiled. I can see the passion marks on your neck and your cleavage," he said, putting the cup aside and standing up.

_Damn it, Rikku. You said you had me covered pretty well. _She'd known, of course, that there were many passion marks on her body. Probably about as many that covered Wakka's body. They had shared a steamy night together in Besaid.

"Seymour, I don't owe you any explanations. Our relationship is over. It was over for me the night you raped me."

"What! I never raped you. You enjoy rough sex. What the hell do you mean it's over? I decide when it's over, not you!"

He stepped toward her threateningly. She stepped back. "Don't you even think about laying a hand on me today," she warned.

"What are you going to do? Tell Wakka?"

"Yes," she said, without hesitation.

Seymour debated. He knew that he was no match physically for Wakka. He would have to find another way to make her pay. But, how? He wasn't sure yet.

"So, you want to end things? You'd rather be with Wakka now?" he asked, resisting his urge to slap her across the room.

"Yes."

"You're a fool, Lulu. This thing with Wakka is only a fantasy. I am a reality. You'll come to realize that, but it'll be too late. And I'm sure you know your mother won't approve of this."

"I'll handle my mother."

"Okay. Fine," he said, picking up his light jacket, though the weather was too warm for it. He walked past her and down the hall. He didn't say another word. The slamming of the front door was all that she heard.

She felt relieved, and yet, worried. He had left things too calmly. He was up to something she was sure. She took her bags to the laundry room and decided to get her things cleaned. The doorbell rang. Great. He was back already.

She could see Wakka through the thin curtains. She opened the door. He smiled.

"Hey. You left this on the bus," he said, holding out her purse.

"Oh. Thank you. Would you like to come in?"

"Okay," he agreed, following her inside of the house. Even though he had seen her not even an hour ago, he was surprised that he had missed her. He sniffed the air.

"You needed coffee? You're still tired, ya?" he asked.

"No. My mother made it," she lied.

"I could understand if you were still tired," he said, his insinuation clear.

She grinned. "I'm not that tired, Wakka."

He stepped up to her. "Well, maybe we ought to do something about that. Where's your mother?"

"At work. And just what did you have planned?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Instead of replying, he bent his head down and kissed her. She kissed him back, just as passionately, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. He pulled her red tank top up and over her head. She kissed his chest, as her hands roamed his muscular back. He moaned. _Oh, Yevon._

He didn't do anything while her kisses trailed all the way down to his stomach. He pulled her back up finally, returning his lips to hers, his hands all over her body.

Seymour walked up to the side of Lulu's house. He looked around. He could see her neighbor, Mr. Norman, mowing his lawn across the street. He'd returned to try to appeal to Lulu's common sense. Then, he had seen Wakka's car. He parked at the corner of the street, and strolled casually up to the house. Aside from appealing to Lulu's common sense, he'd dropped his wallet. He guessed it had fallen into the pink chair. He was in no mood to face Wakka, so he decided to see if he could sneak into the house from the basement.

He had done it numerous times before. He opened the window slowly, and slid inside. He was glad that the Oliver's basement wasn't cluttered and filthy like others. He crept up the stairs slowly. He had hoped that Lulu and Wakka were upstairs. He opened the door slowly. He felt his blood start pumping with intense rage. He could hear Lulu's loud moaning. He couldn't believe she was already in there having sex and he'd only been gone an hour! Where were they? It sounded like they weren't in the living room. This much was good. He crept out of the basement and made his way to the living room. And just as he suspected, his wallet was in the pink chair. He picked it up and put in back into his pocket. He always wondered if he were capable of killing someone. Now, he knew he was. Right now, he could squeeze Wakka's throat until every breath escaped his body. His Guado senses could even smell it in the air. He walked out to the hallway slowly.

He didn't know why his eyes needed the confirmation, when he could definitely hear it. He peeked around the edge of the kitchen doorway. On Majestic's cream colored linoleum floor, two naked bodies glistened in the mid morning sunlight. Wakka, with his face pressed between Lulu's ample breasts, his hands clutching them. Lulu, her back arched, her eyes closed, moaning in pleasure. It took everything in Seymour's power not go back to the living room and grab one of the fireplace pokers. He could kill them both. Somehow, he managed to make it out of the house. He got into his car and drove away.

* * *

Darcy was nervous. More nervous than she'd been in her entire life. Tidus had called and told her he was coming over to talk. He didn't say anything in Besaid that should send her in a panic. Yet, she was. What would she do if he told her it was over? She honestly didn't know. Her Dad watched her pacing the living room.

"What's the matter? You look upset," he said.

She wished that he understood everything about her relationship with Tidus. But, since he hardly knew her, he'd never understand. The doorbell rang. She could feel the knots in her stomach become tighter. The doorbell rang again.

"Aren't you going to get that? I'm not expecting company," her father said. She nodded, and walked slowly to the door. She opened the door. Tidus stood there.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey. Um…I'm not really feeling well today. Can we do this another time?" she begged.

"No. This is important. Can I come in?"

"Sure," she said, opening the door wider. He stepped inside and greeted her dad.

"Can we talk in your room?" he asked.

She didn't say anything. She led him down the short hallway to her bedroom. She sat on the edge of her bed. "What's this about, Ti?"

"It's about us. I'm not going to beat around the bush. I don't want to go out with you anymore."

Her worst fears were confirmed. "You can't mean that! After all I've done to make this relationship work! You can't do this to us. We just need a small break. If I agree to take a small break, will you consider?" she begged.

He shook his head. He already made up his mind. Whether or not Yuna confirmed that she had indeed said she loved him, he was cutting Darcy loose.

"I can't do this anymore. It's not really far to you, anyway. Darcy, there's nothing between us but sex. And even that can be easily replaced."

"You jerk! I knew about the other girls in Luca, but I still stayed with you!"

"You're right. The only time I've been faithful to you is here in Zanarkand. And even here, I've been tempted."

"It's Yuna, isn't it?"

"This is the first time I've ever been honest with you. Yes, it's about Yuna."

"Why? What's so special about her? She's the biggest flirt in the whole school!"

"We'll see about that soon. Don't concern yourself. I'm really sorry things didn't work out."

"No, you're not! I hate you! Get out!"

She ran over to pound on his chest with her fists. He caught them easily. He didn't know what else he could do. He was doing her a favor. She could probably do a hell of a lot better than him, anyway.

He opened the door and walked out.

When she heard the front door close, Darcy fell to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably on her bedroom floor. She couldn't believe it. Having Tidus in her life wasn't a question. She had to have him. She screamed and began to pound the carpet.

Her Dad, Howard, got up to see why his daughter was screaming uncontrollably. In his old age, he was in no mood to deal with a temperamental teenager. He decided she would need something to help her get some rest.

"Come on; let's take a drive to Zuke Memorial. They'll help ease your pain. You'll see," he coaxed. He helped her stand and they walked out of the house together slowly.

* * *

Yuna checked her appearance for the fourth time on Saturday afternoon. Tidus had told her that he wanted to talk to her about something important. She was certain that she knew what it was. She hadn't forgotten anything she'd said to him on Thursday night. As drunk as she'd been, she still remembered.

"Hey, Yuna, I'm going to go to the bakery. I'm in the mood for cinnamon rolls. Would you like anything?" Braska asked, breaking her train of thought.

"No. The rolls sound fine."

He studied her for a few moments. She'd been very quiet all day. Usually, he would have found her chatting on the phone. He wondered if she was still worrying about attending Zanarkand University in the fall. He would be sad when she left, but he knew that she needed to be on her own.

"Okay. I'll be back soon," he said, turning to leave. She bid him goodbye. He felt extremely guilty. He'd told her the half truth. He knew that she loved cinnamon rolls, but he really wanted to go to the liquor store that was three doors down from the bakery. He was out. His supply was finished. Kinoc had tried to talk to him about the drinking again. He hadn't wanted to listen to it. As long as he did his job, he didn't owe Kinoc anything.

Yuna heard Braska backing out of the driveway. She walked over to the windows and looked out. She saw Tidus' car pull up alongside the curb. She watched him get out of the car and stroll up the walkway. He pressed the doorbell. She took a deep breath, and made her way out to the hallway. She opened the door.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey. Come in." She closed the door slowly. She led the way to the living room. She sat on the sofa, and placed her hands in her lap. He sat on the couch.

"So, um, Yuna, I said that I wanted to talk to you. Well, um…it's about what happened in Besaid…" he trailed off. He was hoping that she remembered. He didn't want to embarrass her by bringing it up or anything, but he had to know if that's how she really felt.

Yuna nodded. She could tell that he was uncomfortable. "You mean what I said, right?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Did you mean it?"

"Does it make a difference? I mean, you have a girlfriend, and…"

"Yuna, you said that you loved me. Is that true?"

"Yes, I said that, and I…meant it." Before she could blink, he leaped over to the sofa and gave her a peck on the lips.

"What are you doing? Just because I said that, it doesn't…" she broke off, unsure of how she wanted to end the sentence. She sure as hell wasn't going to say that it didn't mean she didn't want to see him, because she did.

"I…um…I feel the same way about you," he admitted.

"What? You feel the same…you love me?" she asked calmly, though she wanted to jump up and down.

He nodded. "Yes."

She squealed, and covered his face in kisses. She couldn't believe it. This had to be a dream. He laughed, and eagerly returned her enthusiasm.

"Wait. What about Darcy?" she asked, with concern. She really felt bad for the girl.

"I broke things off with her. I couldn't keep lying to her."

"Was she very upset?"

"Yes, but I think she'll realize that it couldn't work when I felt this way about another girl."

"And what way is that?" she asked, a tiny smile on her lips. She loved hearing him say that he wanted her. She had been waiting so long to hear him say it.

"You know."

"So, what does this mean for us now?" she asked, straightening the thin strap of her white summer dress.

"Well, um, what do you want to do? Do you want to go out?"

"Yes. But, I want to take it slowly. I mean, we haven't even gone out on a date yet."

"Okay. We'll do it right. Let's go to a movie together next Friday."

"Okay. It's a date."

"Oh, and one more thing, Yuna. No more dates with the Abes. If you're going to be my girl, then I have to be your only guy, okay?"

"Oh, no problem. But, don't be jealous. I can't help it if they like me," she joked.

"I am jealous."

"Well, you don't have any reason to be anymore," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I guess I don't," he said, lowering his head until his lips touched hers. Yuna eagerly returned his kiss, not realizing just how hungry she was for this. She moved until she was comfortably straddling his body on the sofa. She leaned down and kissed him again, this time allowing her tongue to slide inside of his mouth. His hands were on her hips. Her fingers moved up to entwine in his hair. His hands slowly moved up the bodice of her dress, pausing for a moment before he reached her breasts. She put her hand on his, bringing it up slowly, so that it began to caress her breast softly.

"Yuna, we should stop before things go too far," he said, cautiously, even though he was hoping things would go really damn far. So far, they'd both need an afternoon shower.

"We're not doing anything yet," she insisted, returning her lips to his. Both of his hands caressed her breasts through the thin fabric of her dress. She wasn't wearing a bra. She moaned, as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Her breathing quickened, as his fingers moved to the straps of her dress. He began to put them down. Yuna hesitated, realizing that her breasts were moments from being exposed. Tidus realized that she wasn't going to stop him, so he pulled the straps off her shoulders.

Yuna's heart began to beat in triple time, as the fabric was lowered completely off her breasts. It was the first time she had allowed a boy to see her like this. Sure, some had been bold enough in the past to try to get a peek, but she hadn't allowed it. She knew that she'd never have the ample bosom that Lulu possessed, but she was more than pleased with her body. And she was certain that from the tiny smile on Tidus' lips that he liked what he saw.

She closed her eyes as his hands moved to touch her naked breasts, softly, slowly. He moved suddenly, laying her back on the soft cushion of the sofa, so that he was on top of her. Yuna thought that she heard a car pull up outside, as Tidus began to kiss her neck. She closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his lips against her hot skin. His kiss moved down further to her breasts, as his left hand slid down her thigh slowly.

The front door slammed. Yuna and Tidus panicked. She pulled her dress up quickly. Braska came to the doorway, holding a box of freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

"You'll never believe how busy the bakery is…" he trailed off as his dark blue eyes looked at the two teenagers on his blue sofa. Their skin appeared to be flushed, their breathing a little rapid. He stared at them more intently. Had something gone on here?

"Well, it looks like you got the rolls," Yuna said, trying to sound casual.

"I did. Hello, Tidus. I didn't know we would have the pleasure of your company today," he said, his eyes staring at Yuna pointedly.

"Oh, I called Yuna unexpectedly," he said nonchalantly.

"Well, let's go in the kitchen and have some rolls while they're still warm," Braska said, beckoning them to come with him. Yuna got up immediately and headed down the hall. Braska waited.

"I'll be there in a moment," Tidus said. Braska nodded, though he did notice the sofa pillow on Tidus' lap. _Were his shorts unzipped under that pillow? Maybe I should get a surveillance camera. _

* * *

"Welcome back. I hope you all enjoyed your break. I know I did. Let me tell you, if you're looking to go get a good massage, I recommend going to Luca. They have a good spa there," advised Mr. Isaaru on Monday afternoon.

Baralai nodded absently. His parents had made him go once. It had been the best massage of his life. Now, he was more interested in the last aspects of this class. And then it would be over. High school torture would finally end.

"We've gone over the most important aspects of a marriage. But, I think this last part will really tell us what you're made if of…if you're still speaking to each other, that is. The last part is one of the toughest things to handle in a marriage. Working with your spouse. Can you handle it?" asked Mr. Isaaru, smiling widely.

"Working together? What do you mean?" asked Baralai. If you asked him, working on a chocobo farm for three weeks had been enough work.

"It's exactly what I said. You and your spouse will work together. I've picked out all of your jobs for you, and the places where you'll be working have been informed. Don't worry. You are only required to attend your morning classes from now on. You're being released at noon so you can fulfill your six hours of work for this class. The only day you will have to resume your afternoon classes are Fridays."

Wakka swallowed. This should have been a good thing. So, why wasn't he happy? He was very happy in general. He was certain that he and Lulu were heading toward some pretty heavy commitment soon. And even though he had commitment phobia in the past, he knew that he was willing to give it a try. He had to admit that the good sex helped, too. Lulu was a lot more experienced than he had given her credit for.

Mr. Isaaru picked up a stack of index cards. "On these cards, I have written down all of your job information. Try not to get fired."

"What will happen if we do?" Gippal asked. He knew for sure that if he had some asshole boss, he would probably be fired on the first day.

"Oh, that won't bode well for your family, my friend. This is a partnership. You have to pull your weight. Tough it out. You can't give up on your wife," lectured Mr. Isaaru.

Tidus stared at him, wondering why a man such as Mr. Isaaru had been chosen to teach such a class. The man was a bachelor. He didn't know a damn thing about commitment.

"Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?" Paine asked, as she read her job description. She had been chosen to work at The Ifrit, as a front desk clerk. It was a job she personally would have never chosen. She knew that she didn't have the perky personality for it.

"No. No joke. And no swapping," said Mr. Isaaru.

* * *

"So, you are my two student trainees, huh? Welcome to Libby's Day Care," smiled a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. She was a small woman, with a pear shape, and friendly blue eyes. She looked up at the students expectantly.

"Hello. And thank you. We're excited to be here," said Lulu. She nudged Wakka.

"Ya. Gotta look after the kids," he muttered. He couldn't believe it. He knew without a doubt that his senior year was going to go down as the worst year of his high school life. Babies. What the hell did he know about taking care of babies? Nadda.

"Come with me. I'll show you where you'll be working. I'm Libby, by the way," said Libby, as she showed them her day care facility. She told them that they would be in charge of the four-year-olds during their shifts.

"Lu, I gotta confess. I don't know nothing about kids," Wakka admitted, looking at the toddlers running from here to there. He could tell that he would be sued in a matter of days.

"Don't worry, Wakka. Neither do I. It'll come to us naturally. You'll see. We just have to get things in order. We'll make a schedule for them."

Wakka was about to answer when his leg was suddenly grabbed. He looked down at a smiling little boy in blue coveralls.

"Hey. How ya doin'? I'm Wakka. What's your name?" he asked.

"Nothing, stupid head," yelled the kid, kicking Wakka in the shin and running off.

"I think he likes you," said Lulu. "This place is a mess. Let's see if we can get the kids to help us straighten up."

"Hey, I'm hungry," said a little girl with red curls.

"Well, you'll eat when we get everything cleaned up, ya," explained Wakka.

"I'm hungry now!"

"Let's get cleaned up, ya," he insisted, picking some of the scattered toys up and carrying them over to a large toy box. He got down on his knees to pick up the rest of the toys. Suddenly, a small body jumped on his head.

"Hey, stupid head! We want to eat NOW!" yelled his favorite kid in the blue coveralls. His little friends decided they wanted to join in, and pound the stupid headed man with the red hair. Wakka didn't know if he should be amused or not. Little teeth clenched his forearms and small hands pulled his hair. This was going to be a long three weeks.

* * *

"Are you certain you made the reservation for today, sir?" Paine asked, as she checked the computer. Again. Some jerk at the counter insisted he'd made prior reservations, only she couldn't find them.

"I'm sure I did. Now, are you going to give me my room or not?"

"I'm not. If you don't have a reservation, I can't. We're booked solid. Go somewhere else."

"What? Go somewhere else? What kind of thing is that to say?"

Paine shrugged. "It's the only thing I can think of at the moment. We can't do anything for you here."

"Let me get this straight. You lose my reservation, and then you tell me to go somewhere else?"

"Well, I could tell you to go…" she broke off, as her arm was pulled roughly away from the counter. Baralai glared at her.

"What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to get fired on purpose?" he demanded.

"No. I know how to handle guys like him," she insisted.

"Paine, this is going to sound shocking to you, but, you can't treat every man like he doesn't deserve to live just because you hate men."

"I don't hate men. Just you. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

"No. Marcia is taking care of it. I don't even know why you're complaining. I'm the one with the shit portion of this job."

She chuckled. He was right about that. "Better get back to work," she advised him.

"I'm on break. You just watch your step. This is the last thing we have to do."

"Fine. Go back to work."

He watched her walk back over to the counter to answer the ringing phone. He gritted his teeth and walked slowly over to the elevator. He couldn't believe Mr. Isaaru. He began to think that man was truly out to get him.

"Hey, Baralai!" called Paine.

He turned. "What?"

"Room 434 said you forgot to replace their towels. I'd get to it if I were you."

He didn't reply. He stepped into the elevator. Once he reached the tenth floor, he returned to his cleaning cart. He didn't have any extra towels. Damn.

* * *

"So, if you get a chance to listen to this, come back and tell me what you really think, okay?" Gippal said as he watched the guy put his demo CD in his pocket. He smiled. He'd managed to get at least three customers to take one. He and his band had managed to record the demo a few weeks earlier. It had been pure luck for Mr. Isaaru to assign him and Rikku to a music store.

Rikku glared at Gippal from behind the cash register. He had been speaking with that guy for the past two hours. The guy hadn't bought a damn thing in the store. He hadn't even glanced at the store's merchandise because Gippal had cornered him and started talking about his band. Every customer that Gippal spoke to wound up leaving with his demo and nothing else.

Rikku left the counter. It was time that she told Gippal that they were here to work and not promote his band. She had been busy all afternoon.

"Excuse me, miss, but do you have the new Tromell and the Guado?" asked some guy, browsing through the new music section.

"Yes. We have them on display in the artist of the month section," she explained.

"Can you show me?"

"Of course." Rikku walked off with the guy, keeping an eye on Gippal. He was leaning on the counter, sipping a drink, and listening to his IPod. She finally managed to make it over to talk to him.

"Gippal, you do realize that we're supposed to be working, right?" she asked.

He took his headphones off. "I am working, Rik. Do you know how hard it is to get people to listen to an unknown artist? But, I managed to get three people to take my CD home."

She longed to tell him that they probably had tossed it in the nearest trash can as soon as they left the store.

"Great. But, we're supposed to be selling THIS merchandise. Can you at least work the register?"

"I can't. I'm a floor person. Besides, you learned it a lot quicker than I did. I'll just fuck it up."

"Well, see if someone needs help out here then," Rikku said, as she went back to the register to ring up a customer. Gippal saw a girl looking at some CDs in the rock section. He walked over to her.

"So, you're into rock, huh?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Yeah. Big time."

"I happen to be a singer, you know. Let me tell you all about my band…"

* * *

"So, now that I've shown you the entire facility, which one of you wants to bathe Mr. Rushmore?" smiled Nurse Madeleine.

"She does!"

"He does!"

Nurse Madeleine smiled. Typical teenagers. Too young to realize that someday they might wind up in a facility like this. If they lived long enough, anyway.

Yuna looked up at Tidus pleadingly. His blue eyes told her 'no way in hell'.

"I'll be glad to do it," she told Nurse Madeleine.

"No need to lie, honey. No one is glad to do it but it has to be done. Come this way. Tidus, why don't you go see if Mrs. Foster's ready for dinner?"

Yuna followed Nurse Madeleine back down the corridor to Mr. Rushmore's room. Working in a home for the elderly didn't truly disturb her. At least, not yet.

"Are you sure this is okay? I mean, I'm not licensed or anything…" Yuna said.

"It's fine, dear. The seniors here don't mind at all. They like to see and talk to the young people."

Mr. Rushmore was sitting up in bed, watching the afternoon news. He turned toward the door when he saw them approaching.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Rushmore. This is Yuna. She's a student trainee. She's going to help me give you your bath today," explained Nurse Madeleine.

"Oh, Madeleine. She looks like she's capable of handling it by herself to me," said Mr. Rushmore.

Yuna raised an eyebrow. What did he mean by that? Nurse Madeleine filled the basin with warm water and soap and brought it over to place on the bed table.

"Well, Yuna, I'm sure you can handle it. If not, just come get me. I'll be at the nurses' station," said Nurse Madeleine, turning to leave.

"My, aren't you a pretty little thing. My wife used to be a very pretty woman, too," said Mr. Rushmore, sitting up in his bed.

"Thank you." He moved suddenly, opening his robe. Yuna didn't know whether to scream or faint. Suddenly having a seventy year old man's naked body before her would no doubt bring her nightmares.

Mr. Rushmore lay back and closed his eyes. "I'm ready when you are. Go gently."


	16. Chapter 16

**Ch. 16 Prom Mayhem**

"Well, Darcy, honey, aren't you going to get a prom dress?" Howard asked, as they strolled the mall in East Zanarkand on Saturday. Darcy didn't have an answer for him. Since Tidus had dumped her a little over a week ago, she didn't feel like doing anything lately. She looked at the beautiful gowns on display. She didn't even have a date. And Tidus wasn't returning her calls. She didn't see him at school, either since he was gone in the afternoon. She wondered if he would be upset if she showed up at his house. He had made a mistake. He knew that they belonged together.

"I don't think so, Dad. Besides, since I broke up with Ti, I don't have a date," she explained.

"Yeah. Why'd you break up with him anyway? He seemed like a nice guy to me."

"He's not. He was a real jerk. He was pressuring me…"

"Pressuring you into what?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it. Maybe I should get a dress," she said, hoping to change the subject slightly.

Howard watched his daughter go inside the store. He truly didn't know what to think of her. Her mother had been a despicable woman. He hoped Darcy wasn't following in her steps. He entered the store and watched her look at the pretty gowns. He sat on a bench to wait.

Darcy held a crimson colored gown up to her body and looked at herself in the mirror. She would look great in the dress. She decided to try it on. She walked into the dressing room. She froze. Yuna was standing in front of the glass mirror, admiring herself in a beautiful dark blue gown. Darcy ducked inside of the first available stall before she spotted her. Her heart was pounding. She was burning with rage inside.

"Yuna, I think that's the one. You look great," she heard a chipper voice say.

"Rikku, you think I look good in anything. Wow. I like your dress."

"I want to look good for prom. It's the most important night of our teenage lives. And also because it'll give me something else to think about besides Gippal. He's going to get us fired. He can't work the register, and he's not selling any of the merchandise."

"At least you haven't had to scrub an old man's body from head to toe."

"Ewww. Was he wrinkly…everywhere?"

"Rikku! I wasn't checking him out!"

Rikku laughed. "Maybe you should have. Maybe you should go to the prom with him instead of Tidus."

Yuna smiled, thinking about Tidus. Their first official date had been everything she'd hoped for. She was waiting for Tidus to say they should go official so that the whole school knew that they were dating. Then, the Abes would quit asking her out. They were becoming more insistent than ever over the past week.

"I'll definitely be going with Tidus. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather go with," smiled Yuna.

Rikku smiled back. She was glad that her cousin was happy. It had been a very long time since she'd seen Yuna this happy.

Darcy waited patiently. She could hear the girls gathering their things and leaving the dressing room. She took her dress, without trying it on, back out of the stall. She waited long enough until she was certain that Yuna had left the store, and then she went back out to find her dad.

"So, how'd it look? Are you going to buy it?" he asked.

"No. I don't think I'm going to go."

* * *

"I don't think I ever want to be a father, ya," Wakka said miserably. He sank down on the plaid sofa. Those brats were driving him insane. Naturally, they loved Lulu.

"That's good to know. If that's what you want," said Auron.

"I mean it. Kids need so much attention. I can't keep up."

"I hope Lulu knows this."

"Hey, don't you think you're being too hasty? How do you even know I'll end marrying Lulu?"

"Because I know everything."

"We're not even a official couple or nothing, ya."

"Is she your date for the prom?"

"Ya. What's that got to do with anything?" Wakka asked, as he pulled his sneakers off. Auron frowned at this. He hated to find Wakka's shoes all over the house.

"Things tend to change after the prom. You'll see."

Wakka picked his shoes up. "I'm going to go take a nice hot shower, ya. What's for supper?"

"Nothing. I'm going out. It's Monday."

Wakka's empty stomach didn't agree with this at all. As soon as school was over, blitz season would begin again. He was happy about this. He missed the game.

He got in the shower. Two more weeks of dealing with the kids. He could do it. He heard his phone ringing in his shorts pocket on the floor. It would have to wait. He thought about kids some more. He was glad he lived in Zanarkand. By Zanarkand rules, at fifteen, a girl had to get on the prescribed pill until she was married. There were no questions about it. They were dead serious about it here. Wakka stepped out of the shower and picked up his phone. Lulu had called him. Without hesitation, he called her back.

"Hi. I was just calling to tell you that I bought my dress today. Do you have your tux yet?" she asked.

"Oh. Not yet."

"What are you waiting for, Wakka? You can't put this off forever."

"I know. I'll take care of it this weekend."

"Okay. Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Bye, Lu."

"Bye."

He hung up and pondered about Lulu for a moment. He wondered what she had told Seymour. She said she hadn't spoken to Seymour since she'd told him that things were over. Wakka hadn't had too many encounters with the Guado himself. When he did see him, he could swear pure hatred shot from those lavender blue eyes. He didn't blame the guy for hating him. He would too, if the roles were reversed.

His stomach rumbled again. Damn Auron for not cooking. He took his things and left the bathroom. He went inside his room. The prom seemed to be promising. Tidus had told him that he and Yuna were unofficially dating. He was happy for him. He frowned slightly, looking at the wad of gil in his top drawer. What was this? Then he remembered. The gil he had collected for the bet. He would have to return it. He was surprised Baralai hadn't asked him for it. Maybe he had forgotten. The stupid bet.

He couldn't believe how much he had changed since senior year began. He used to be at the clubs every weekend, getting as many girls' numbers as his phone would hold. Now, he had erased all of those numbers. They weren't important after all.

* * *

Tidus entered his house on Friday night. He and Yuna were supposed to go Oaka's after they had enough time to change from work.

"Hey. I haven't seen much of you these past two weeks," Jecht said, standing in the doorway of his favorite room. Zalora appeared at his side.

"I've been busy with school and work, Dad."

Jecht nodded, and then smiled wickedly. "And Yuna wouldn't have anything to do with all of this, now would she?"

Tidus couldn't help smiling. Being with Yuna was something that he didn't think would seriously ever exist. It was better than he could describe.

"I thought that name would get you smiling. So, I guess you're going to the prom together?"

Tidus nodded. "Yeah."

"So, is this, official then?"

"Not yet, Dad. We don't want to rush anything. We just started dating."

"Right, right. It's official," he said to Zalora, who laughed.

"I have a date to get ready for," Tidus said, continuing up to his room. He could hear Jecht saying something. Probably another joke.

Tidus entered his room and took off his uniform quickly. He needed to take a quick shower. His phone began to ring. He looked at it and sighed. Darcy.

"Hey, Darcy, what's up?" he answered.

She sniffed. "Ti, don't you think we could give it another shot? I really miss you."

"We can still be friends," he offered, taking his socks off.

"I don't want to be your friend. I'm not even going to prom."

"Why not? I'm sure you could find a date." He'd heard from Datto that she had been hanging out with some of the Psyches at The Shiva. But, she hadn't told him that.

"It won't be the same. I had planned on going with you."

"Darcy, don't miss your prom because of me. You won't have another one."

"Listen, Ti. Let's break up after the prom. Just come to the prom with me."

"I can't do that to Yuna."

"Damn Yuna! She's only been with you for, like, two minutes. I was with you almost a year. I have priority."

"Not anymore. Listen, I have to go."

"Just tell me that you'll think about it. It's almost too late for me to buy a dress."

"I'm not going to lie about it. I'm going with Yuna."

"Ti, please. I'm begging you. Let me come over and show you I'm better than Yuna in all ways that count."

"Bye, Darcy."

"Ti, wait…" He hung up the phone. He truly didn't understand why she couldn't just let it go. They weren't in Luca. There wasn't a group of friends to show off for anymore. He took his shower and hoped she'd be okay. He knew she wasn't spending her weekends at home sulking. There were reports about her being sighted at all of the popular clubs. She just wanted him to think that.

Tidus got dressed and went back downstairs. "I'm leaving, Dad!" he called out.

"Bye."

"Bye, sweetie," called Zalora. Tidus left without replying to her. She hadn't done anything to him lately, but she still made him uncomfortable. He felt like she was constantly undressing him with her eyes. He got in his car and drove to Yuna's.

She was waiting on the front porch. He got out and walked around to open the door for her.

"What were you doing on the porch?" he asked, once he was behind the wheel again.

"My father just fell asleep on the couch, and I didn't want the doorbell to wake him."

He nodded. He had been thinking about trying to talk to Braska about his drinking. He hadn't worked up the courage yet. It was really none of his business, but caring about Yuna made him want to help her father. Even if he suspected that Braska wouldn't appreciate it.

They finally arrived at the pizzeria. Yuna ground out her cigarette. He didn't bother to warn her about it again. He was certain that in time she would realize that she wasn't a true smoker. He knew this because he rarely saw her smoking.

"Loves, welcome to Oaka's. It's slow right now. Everybody's checking out that new action movie, The Summoner," said LeBlanc. They followed her to a booth.

"So, did you manage to get Mr. Clancy to take his medicine? Tidus asked, not bothering to look at the menu.

"No. Did you finish giving Mrs. Evans her bath?" smiled Yuna.

"Unfortunately, yes," he grumbled. Mrs. Evans had been enthusiastically anticipating her bath this evening. She was eighty-two years old, but she had an impressive memory.

"I can't believe we're almost done. The prom's next weekend, and then one more week of classes. I can't believe it."

"Hello. Me Biran. Take order," they heard, and looked up at their favorite Ronso.

"Extra cheese," they both said without hesitation.

"Drink," said Biran.

"Two strawberry blast sodas," Yuna said. They watched him leave to place their order.

"Hey, can we join you?" they heard, and looked to see Lulu and Wakka coming over.

Tidus shrugged.

"What kind of pizza you got?" Wakka asked, sliding in next to Tidus.

"Cheese," said Yuna.

Wakka made a face. "They out of ingredients or something, ya?"

"No. It's a long story," Tidus said, giving Yuna a conspiratorial wink.

"What would you like, Wakka? I'm adventurous," said Lulu.

"Don't I know it, ya," he muttered. Lulu swatted at him.

Biran appeared again. "Hello. Me Biran. Take order."

"We'll have a large pizza with jalapeños, red peppers, chocobo, and behemoth," said Wakka.

"With two cherry berry sodas," said Lulu. Biran left again.

"Wakka, you sure like your pizza hot," Yuna observed.

"I like most things hot, ya," he assured her.

"Don't I know it," said Lulu. He swatted at her. They soon got lost in the discussion of the prom coming up. They didn't see the man watching them from the back of the restaurant. His lavender blue eyes watched with intensity and hatred. It was a good thing he had already finished his dinner of spaghetti and behemoth balls. He could get sick watching one particular couple. _Were they for real? Was it possible to pretend to be that happy_? _All that laughing_. And he had certainly never heard her laugh that much or that hard before.

* * *

"Hey, Rik, where are you?" Gippal called, as he entered the storage room of the music store. He looked around.

"I'm over here, getting more CDs to stock. That new Tromell and the Guado is selling out quickly," she said, holding a stack in her hands.

He took the CDs from her. She was grateful that he was finally starting to help her do something. Today was their last day of work. She didn't know how they hadn't managed to get fired yet. She watched him put the CDs aside.

"You know what we should do?" he asked, smiling.

"No. But, both of us can't be in here. We could have customers waiting."

He moved, wrapping his arms around her. "Did I tell you that you look smoking hot in these pants?" he asked.

"Yes. About a hundred times. Let's get back to work."

He didn't release her. It would be so hot to have sex at work. He'd been thinking about it all week. Just knowing that they could possibly get caught turned him on. Their boss, Randy, was out on his lunch break. He'd be gone at least an hour. Gippal leaned over and kissed her neck.

"Gippal! We don't have time for this," Rikku insisted, even if she were turned on a little bit.

"Yes, we do it. It'll be quick. I'm already ready."

Rikku's better judgment told her that every time Gippal started scheming, they always got into trouble. However, she loved his dangerous personality. He didn't fear anything.

"Rik, he's waiting," he warned her.

"Okay. But it'll have to be quick," she said, unfastening her pants quickly. He unfastened his own pants and pulled them down.

"Wait. What about the customers?" she asked.

"I locked the door. We're good," he said, helping her out of her pants. Rikku was about to ask whether they should do it on the floor or not, when he grabbed her suddenly, crushing her lips with his. He picked her and pressed her back against the wall.

"Wait. I'm still wearing my panties," she argued.

He sighed impatiently. He'd told her a million times how hot it would be if she just free styled. However, he wasn't about to let such a small problem get in his way. He maneuvered around her panties, grunting as he slid inside of her. She squealed with delight.

"That's it, Rik. Good girl," he said, as he began to thrust.

Rikku pressed her back further into the wall, closing her eyes. Her arms were around his shoulders, her hands pressing down with each thrust. Rikku never mentioned his bizarre singing during lovemaking.

"Woo! Yeah!" he yelled.

Rikku's head rolled from side to side, as she allowed him to ram around inside of her as if it were the last time. It felt too good.

"This…shit…feels…good," he sang, enjoying his own rhythm.

"What the hell is going on in here?" they heard an angry voice demand. Gippal moved quickly, standing in front of Rikku, trying to shield her.

Rikku closed her eyes. She should have known.

"I think you two had better get dressed," said Randy, the store owner, as he glared at them.

Gippal picked up a CD and placed it in front of him. "So, um…does this mean we're fired?"

* * *

"So, who are you taking to the prom?" Paine asked, as she wrote something down. Baralai didn't answer immediately. He was dead tired from cleaning rooms. The prom would be in three hours and he almost didn't want to go. But, he had five hundred gil to collect. And he would collect it, even if Yuna wasn't his prom date. She told him she already had a date.

He shook his head. "No date. I decided to go alone."

"What? The captain of the Abes is going to the prom stag?"

He shrugged. "The person I wanted to go with is unavailable. Are you going?"

"I might make an appearance. I got a dress. I'll make a late appearance."

"You could just stay home. I'm sure no one will notice."

"Why don't you shut the hell up? We've got one more week, and then we're done with each other. Believe me, I can't wait."

"Don't think I'm gonna be crying in my blue dragon over it," he assured her.

"Baralai, you are without a doubt, the most annoying jerk I've ever come across in my life. And that's saying a lot."

"I aim to please."

He stood up slowly, wishing he had time to go get a massage. He didn't. He had to pick up his tux, and eat dinner. Then, he had to get to the prom to show Yuna what she would be missing.

"Do you want a ride home?" he asked her.

"From you? No thanks."

"Fine. I'll see ya," he said, walking away from the front desk. Paine watched him. Without knowing why, she felt slightly disappointed that he hadn't asked her to be his date. Then, she shrugged off the thought, labeling it as ridiculous. She was only going to the prom because Talynda insisted that she go. Talynda didn't have a date, either. She was too disappointed that her status with Wakka wasn't improving. Paine had listened while she complained about Wakka at Besaid.

* * *

"So, do I look stupid or what, ya?" Wakka asked, as Auron inspected him from head to toe. Auron frowned, pinching his chin.

"What?" asked Wakka.

Auron chuckled. "Nothing. You look fine. Have a good time tonight."

"Ya. Did you go to the prom?"

"Of course I did. I had three dates. It was a night I'll never forget."

"Three dates? They weren't upset?"

"No. They all wanted to go with me. I did them a favor by inviting them all."

Wakka frowned slightly. "Hey, Auron. How come you never got married?"

Auron shrugged carelessly. "I don't know. I think I love women too much to just marry one. Now, when they make a rule in Zanarkand that says I can have more than one wife, then we'll see."

"But you can do that in Kilika, ya."

"I'm not one much for tropical weather all year round. Go pick up your date already. I'm sure she's ready to go to the prom."

"Ya. I'll see you tomorrow morning," Wakka said, picking up a box that held a corsage.

"Hmm. Lulu seems pretty feisty to me. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

Wakka bid Auron goodbye and headed out into the warm spring night. Even though he and Lulu had already had sex, it would still be a good night for them both. He had booked a room at The Ifrit. Paine had given him a funny look, but he reasoned that she knew what it was for. He drove through Gagazet Heights, noting that Tidus' car was still in his garage. He wondered why he hadn't left yet. He shrugged it off and drove the two blocks to Lulu's.

He got out of the car and made his way up to her door. Majestic opened the door. She raised an eyebrow. She was impressed. He cleaned up really well. But, she still didn't think he was good enough for her daughter.

"Hello, Mrs. Oliver," he greeted.

"Hi…Wakka. Come on in. Lulu's almost ready."

He stepped inside as she closed the door.

"You look very nice. I hope you kids have a good time tonight," she said.

"Thanks, ya. We will."

"Mother, are you bothering Wakka?" Lulu asked, as she descended the stairs.

Wakka simply stared. She looked stunning. She was wearing a pearl colored strapless gown. A short bead of pearls adorned her neck. It matched her pearl earrings. Her hair was pinned up, her long bangs grazing her shoulder.

"Lu, you look…great," he said, remembering her mother was standing there. He'd wanted to say _fucking fantastic. _

She smiled. "Thanks, Wakka. You look very handsome yourself."

He smiled back, and held out the corsage. "This is for you."

"You're supposed to put it on her, dear," said Majestic.

"Oh. Right," Wakka said, holding the corsage so that Lulu could slip her wrist into it.

"Well, that's nice. Off you go, dears. Have fun. But, not too much," warned Majestic.

"I'll see you...mother," Lulu said, deciding not to worry Majestic about when she would return.

Majestic watched them leave, wondering what had happened between Seymour and Lulu. He was vague when she'd asked him about it.

* * *

Tidus stepped down the stairs cautiously. He hoped he looked okay. The mirror hadn't disappointed him, however. He stood in the doorway of Jecht's room. Jecht stared, taking his cigar out.

"Look here, Zalora. We got us one of those Luca magazine guys in our house," he said.

Zalora looked him over, approvingly. "I believe you're right, honey. You look very nice, sweetie." _Why, you look good enough to have your clothes ripped off and be licked from head to toe._

"Thanks," Tidus said, finally allowing himself to make eye contact with her. She licked her lips suggestively. He looked away quickly.

"Make sure you take a picture. I want to put it on the mantel before you screw things up with Yuna," said Jecht.

"I'm not going to screw things up this time."

Jecht didn't answer. He knew that his son had a knack for screwing shit up. It just came to the kid naturally. He wanted to think that maybe it would work out this time, but he didn't want to fool himself. He was proud of his son. He was _almost _as handsome as he was. But, he looked like his mother. Jecht shook his head to clear his thoughts. No need to get sentimental tonight.

"I'm going to go now. I'll see you…" Tidus said, turning to leave.

"I've got to work tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow evening. Take it easy on Yuna. The first cut is always the deepest," Jecht said, knowingly.

Tidus refused to answer. He decided to leave. He drove to Yuna's house then. He pulled up to the curb and got out slowly. He walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. Braska opened the door.

"Hello, Tidus. Come on in."

Tidus smiled at him and came in. Braska looked him over. _Look at him. Look pretty eager tonight. Too bad he's not doing traditional prom stuff tonight. Not with my Yuna. Better find someone else. Good luck._

"She's right in here," Braska said, leading the way to the living room. Tidus followed him.

"Hi. I'm almost ready," Yuna said, noting the way Tidus' eyes lit up with pleasure. She was hoping he liked her dress.

"Doesn't she look beautiful?" Braska asked.

Tidus nodded. "Yes, she does."

* * *

"Hey, Rik, if we're going to the prom, we gotta leave," Gippal complained. He had been waiting on her for thirty minutes already.

Brother laughed at the cartoon he was watching. Cid was over in the kitchen area. He was cutting sausage links into small pieces. He kept throwing glares in Gippal's direction as he sliced. Gippal didn't dare try to make light conversation. He knew this was the night that all fathers in Zanarkand dreaded. Their precious, sweet virgins were going to come home wearing a new scent in the morning. Cid didn't need to worry about Rikku. She'd been wearing Gippal's scent for months now.

Besides, he had bigger problems. He hoped Mr. Isaaru would go easy on him and Rikku. It had been their last shift, after all. But his mind was occupied on other things as well. He was hoping the prom would be special for Rikku. She deserved it. He hoped she would remember it for a long time.

"I'm ready," she announced, twirling in her apricot colored dress.

"Wow, babe, you look hot," Gippal said, standing up.

The sound of the cleaver that Cid was using came down on the cutting board hard. Gippal swallowed.

"I mean, you look really pretty, Rik," he said.

She smiled up at him. "Thank you. You look nice yourself."

"Nice? What about hot?"

Rikku jerked her head over in Cid's direction.

"Yeah, nice is cool," he agreed.

"What do you think?" she asked Cid and Brother.

"Um, okay," shrugged Brother.

"Brother!" Rikku shrieked.

"Never mind him. You look like an angel. Pure. Innocent. Untouched," Cid said, raising an eyebrow at Gippal.

"Let's go, Rik. We're missing our own prom," said Gippal.

"Okay. Bye, guys," Rikku said, waving enthusiastically.

Gippal grabbed her hand, and headed out, hoping that he was able to show her the time of her life tonight.

* * *

Baralai took another sip from his monogrammed silver flask. He hadn't enjoyed tonight as he had thought. The prom was supposed to be something special. He watched Yuna and Tidus swirl around the dance floor. He realized then that he should have brought a date, anyway. He saw Paine by the punch bowl. She looked around quickly, and then she poured something in the punch from her black flask. He was almost amused. She looked very…decent tonight. She was wearing a deep purple gown.

He moved from his position by the refreshment table. Paine saw him. She nodded. He decided to go over and strike up a conversation.

"Hey. I can't believe you had the nerve to show up here," he said.

She looked him over. "Watch it. You don't want to get something accidentally spilled on that tux. It looks expensive."

"Would you like to dance?"

"Sure. Just one dance, though."

"Right. It's so obvious your card is filled."

She allowed him to take her hand and pull her close. The scent of his expensive cologne filled her nostrils. She listened to the nice melody of the music. This was almost…nice. Cheesy, but almost nice. She was almost tempted to lay her head on his shoulder. He seemed to realize that.

"Hey. You're not getting soft on me, are you?" he asked. He received a punch to the gut. _Just checking._

"So, um, who'd you want to come to the prom with, anyway?" she asked, out of curiosity.

"It doesn't matter."

He saw Yuna head for the restrooms out in the hall. This was his last chance. The prom was winding down.

"Thanks for the dance, Paine. But, I have something important to do," he said, starting away.

"Right," she agreed, deciding to head for the bar that was adjacent to the ball room. It was fortunate that the prom was being held in the ballroom of The Ifrit. _Kids wouldn't have to travel far after the prom. Right upstairs to bang, _she thought idly.

Baralai waited for Yuna to come out of the restroom patiently. She finally came out. She smiled when she saw him.

"Hi, Baralai. Are you enjoying the prom?"

"Yes. But not as much as I would have had you been my date."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not too late. Tidus is a good guy. But, let's face it. Tonight you need a man."

Yuna frowned. "What are you trying to say, Baralai?"

"I'm saying ditch him. We'll get a room here and go upstairs, and I'll make this a night you won't forget."

Yuna didn't know what to think. This was the fifth offer she'd received tonight from an Abe "offering" his services. She should have been flattered. But she was getting annoyed. What made them so sure that's all she was thinking about tonight?

"Thanks, Baralai. Really. But, I don't think so."

"WHAT?"

"I don't want to go upstairs with you. But, thank you for inviting me. I hope you finish enjoying your night, anyway," she said, turning to head back into the ballroom.

Baralai stood there dumbfounded. _Had she just turned him down? Turned down a chance to sleep with the star of the Zanarkand Abes? He was beginning to think that Yuna needed to have her fucking head examined. _

He stormed back into the ballroom. He looked around for her, intending to tell her off, but he didn't see her anywhere. He did see her cousin Rikku, though. She and Gippal were having drinks by the punch bowl. He stormed over to them. He reached into his pocket for the wad of gil Wakka had given him earlier in the day. He grabbed Rikku's hand and pushed the money into it.

"Hey. What's this for?" she asked.

"What's up, Baralai?" asked Gippal.

"Tell Yuna to give that to Tidus," Baralai said.

"Why?" Rikku asked.

"Because he won it."

"Won it? What are you talking about?" Rikku asked.

"Hey, Baralai, you're drunk and you're not making sense," said Gippal.

"I'm not drunk. Here, I'll prove it," he insisted. He turned to look around the ballroom. He beckoned the Abes to come over. They did.

"Where's Wakka?" he asked them.

"He already left. What's up?" asked Botta.

"Tidus is going to win the bet. Tell Rikku that I'm telling the truth," Baralai said.

"What the hell is he talking about?" Rikku demanded.

"He's talking about our bet. Wait. Tidus is in on it?" Letty asked.

"What bet?" Gippal asked.

"The bet on Yuna's virginity," Keepa said, as though they were discussing a bet placed on a game.

"THE BET ON WHAT?" Rikku yelled.

"Listen. Here it is in a nutshell. The Abes, all of us, made a bet on Yuna's virginity at the beginning of the school year. Except Wakka," Baralai explained.

"Except Tidus, too," said Jassu.

"No, Tidus has been in on it. And he's going to collect tonight," Baralai insisted.

Rikku squealed and jumped on Baralai's back.

"Rikku!" Gippal yelled, pulling her off of Baralai.

"You were in on a bet to sleep with Yuna?" Calli asked Datto.

"Wait…it wasn't like that…" he insisted.

"You were in on it, right?" she demanded.

"I was, but…" he broke off as she stormed across the ballroom floor. He threw Baralai a look and ran after her.

"Come on, Gippal. We've got to warn Yuna that she's with a jerk!" Rikku screamed, tugging on his arm. He couldn't believe it. Those Abes…

Rikku led him out of the ballroom. He looked upstairs longingly. He already had a room booked. He stopped walking.

"Rikku, how the hell are we supposed to find Yuna? Call her," he said calmly.

He watched Rikku call Yuna. She listened for a while.

"She's not picking up," she panicked.

"Of course she's not. She's with Tidus. Leave her a message, maybe she'll check it," he advised. He heard her leaving the message. She was obviously distressed about it. Damn it. He had wanted this night to be perfect for Rikku. He was going to put sugar in Baralai's truck tank for this.

"Come on, Rik. Let's go upstairs and try to figure out what to do," he said, taking her hand.


	17. Chapter 17

**Ch.17 Aftermath**

"Yuna, are you ready?" Tidus asked into her ear. She wasn't sure. This was the moment she had been waiting for, for so long and she was still hesitating. Tidus was on top of her, his bare skin pressed against hers. They hadn't booked a room at The Ifrit. Tidus had taken her to The Larva, in West Zanarkand. The rooms were a bit more expensive, but he hadn't minded spending the gil on Yuna. It hadn't taken them long before they were all other each other, lips pressed, fingers snatching off clothing. Once they were under the covers, things had picked up considerably. It was dark in the room. They both had decided that the wide windows behind the bed would spill in enough light to see. Yuna looked up at his face in the moonlight. Was she ready?

"Yes. I'm ready," she told him, feeling her heart began to pound.

"Okay," he said, and she felt his hand slid in between them.

"Wait. It's going to hurt a lot, huh?"

Since he wasn't a girl, he couldn't speak from experience. He really didn't know. He'd never been with a virgin before. This was a new experience for him as well.

"Just a little bit," he said, hoping he was right.

"Okay," she said again, and held her breath. She felt him push forward. She immediately winced. He lied. It hurt a lot. Worst than she imagined.

"Tidus…" she grimaced.

"See? Just a little bit," he said, and began to thrust slowly.

Yuna pressed her lips together to keep from screaming. She had to get him out of her. Without thinking, she reached for the phone receiver next to the bed and hit him in the shoulder with it.

"Ouch…Yuna…what are you….ouch…" he broke off as the receiver smacked him in the cheek. He rolled off the bed, onto the floor.

Yuna immediately regretted her panic. "Tidus, I'm sorry, I didn't realize…"

He sat up, rubbing his cheek slowly. "I guess it hurt more than a little bit, huh?"

"Yes."

He stood up and grabbed the receiver out of her hand. Then he moved the phone as far away from the bed as possible. He looked around and made sure there wasn't anything else in reach of her hands.

"Yuna, do you really want to do this? We can't do this if I'm injured," he half joked.

"I know. I'm sorry. Yes, I really want to do this. Just go really slowly, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed. _I better go slowly, or the next time, she might try to smother me. _

Yuna sighed. How had Rikku and Lulu gotten through this? They made it seem like sex was fantastic. They had left out the pain. But, she was determined to do this tonight.

They kept at it repeatedly, until she was able to handle the pain and allow them to finally finish it.

"Ready?" he asked again.

"I'm ready."

He didn't say anything else as he moved inside of her. By this time, she understood that she had a role to play in this as well. Now, she finally understood what Lulu and Rikku were trying to tell her as he penetrated her. She felt the light beads of perspiration on his back as her hands moved up to his head to bring his lips down to hers again. The pain was all gone now. She didn't experience anything except the pleasure that her lover was giving her.

"Tidus…" she moaned, her hands on his slippery back again.

Tidus looked down at her, her eyes closed, her back arched. She was so beautiful, he just wanted to do this all night long. _Did it make a difference because he was in love with her?_ He wondered briefly before a moan escaped his lips. He decided that it had to.

Her hand reached down to clasp his. He clasped her other hand, as her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Yuna's head was spinning. She knew that she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. It felt too good. She could feel herself starting to climax. She squeezed his hands tightly.

He moved faster.

"Yuna…"

They both climaxed against each other. Tidus let a few swears slip out in between, but Yuna hadn't noticed. She was panting heavily, content, and extremely happy. His head rested on her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath.

* * *

"I'll have a blue dragon," Baralai said to the bartender. The bartender raised an eyebrow.

"You older than twenty?" he asked skeptically.

"No. But, I'm eighteen."

"You have to be twenty-one in this hotel, my friend."

"What? That's ridiculous. You can have a drink anywhere in Zanarkand if you're eighteen," argued Baralai. He was in no mood for some lowlife hotel clerk. Couldn't the idiot look at him and tell he were a man?

"Not here."

"Give him a drink, Pete. He's with me," Paine said, from the other side of the bar. Baralai looked in her direction. He thought that she would be long gone by now. The prom had wound down an hour ago. Pete gave him the drink. He picked it up and walked around the bar to sit next to her.

"What the hell are you still doing here?" he asked.

"Don't bother to say thanks for the drink. I'm in no hurry to get home. Granny doesn't expect me to return till tomorrow."

"Do you always do what Granny expects?" he asked, mockingly.

"Yes. She's one of the few people that I respect. Why are you still here?"

He shrugged. He didn't want to burden her with his horrible night. After arguing with Rikku and Datto, he was exhausted. Datto claimed he was never speaking to him again. He'd have to buy him the gaming system that he knew he wanted. He'd forgive him. And he was still pissed that Tidus had won the bet. He knew that he hadn't whisked Yuna away to spoon under the covers. _That son of a bitch_.

But, he had to admire the way he had won the bet. He took the challenge, and pursued Yuna just like the rest of them, even with a girlfriend on the side. He had determination.

"I don't have any place to go," he finally told her.

She shrugged, and took another sip of her drink. She knew that Talynda was upstairs with Botta. She had seen them run up after the prom. She had to give the girl credit. She was determined to land an Abe.

Baralai reached into his pockets for his cigarettes. He felt the plastic card. He remembered then that he had booked a room here in advance; thinking he and Yuna would be up there getting to know each other without clothes by now. He scowled, thinking about Yuna again. She had ruined his prom. Or, maybe he had ruined his own prom with the bet. No, it was her.

"I have a room," he told her for no particular reason. She just stared. Was he crazy? Did he think she would sleep with him again? He didn't say anything.

She cleared her throat. "So, um…wanna fuck?"

"Hell yes," he said, grabbing her hand and racing from the bar.

* * *

"Hey, Lu, can I get serious for a moment?" Wakka asked, as she lay on his naked chest. The past two hours had been the most interesting hours of his young life. He thought he knew everything. He was wrong. Lulu had managed to teach a few new things tonight.

She sighed with contentment on his chest. Her mother would have a fit in the morning, but right now she didn't care.

"Yes, Wakka?"

"What's going to happen to us? I mean, are we official now?"

She laughed. She knew that Wakka had a commitment phobia. She was hoping that she would be the one to finally bring him around. Maybe she had succeeded.

"Well, do you want to be?" she asked.

"I do, if you want to."

She turned to face him. "Yes. If you really want to."

He smiled. "Fine. I guess I should do this proper, ya. Lu, will you be my girl?"

"I'm already your girl, Wakka."

"Ya. I guess so. Don't make fun of me. I've never done this before."

"I'm not making fun of you. We're official then," she said, leaning over to graze his lips with hers.

"Your mother's not going to like this, ya," he warned. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that Majestic didn't like him. She was nice enough to his face, but he felt that she didn't think he was right for Lulu.

"I'll handle her. I make the important decisions in my life. And this is one of them." She really didn't care what Majestic said. She just wanted to be with Wakka.

"Hey, this calls for a celebration, ya. We should have champagne."

"Where are we going to get champagne, Wakka? It's almost one," she pointed out.

The hotel bar was closed. Not that he could get anything from there, anyway. He thought just a second.

"I can go out and get some. It won't take long, ya."

"Wakka, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Lu, we have to celebrate. This is the start of something good, right?"

She smiled. She loved his exuberance.

"Okay. But hurry back," she said. He got up and got dressed again.

He picked up his phone and put it in his pocket. He had turned it off the minute they had gotten to the prom. He looked at Lulu, wrapped in the sheets of the bed. He knew immediately that he would indeed hurry to get back.

"I'll be right back, ya. Don't get dressed," he warned, as he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"I won't. Hurry."

He left the room and headed down the hall to the elevator. This night was going down as the best night of his life. He noticed that the hotel was very quiet. He nodded at the desk clerk and headed out into the night air again. He got into his car and debated the quickest way to get the champagne. He decided to take a shortcut, which would require few traffic lights. He groaned when he realized a car behind him in the distance. He was certain not too many people were familiar with this shortcut.

He finally made it into downtown where he got out to the champagne. He looked around and crossed the street.

"Hey, there young man. What can I do for you?" smiled the older cashier.

"Nothing heavy, ya. I'm just here for a bottle of champagne."

"Champagne? What's the occasion?"

"Prom. And I'm celebrating something else."

"Well, good for you. Not too many young men celebrate losing their virginity."

Wakka stared. "I'm not no virgin, ya. I'm celebrating because I'm with the girl I wanted."

"Still, good for you. Here you go. Forty gil."

Wakka bought the champagne and headed back out quickly. He got inside his car and decided to check his messages. There was only one. From Rikku, who sounded so angry he could hardly make out what the hell she was talking about, mixing in a few Al bhed words here and there. She was screaming about the bet. How did she know about that? He decided he'd take care of it in the morning.

He took the same shortcut back to the hotel; only he saw that the light was going to change before he could make it at the bottom of the hill. He pressed the brake. Nothing. He pumped it again more desperately. He saw that a train was rapidly moving across the tracks across the street. He pressed the brake pedal to the floor. Nothing.

"SHITTTTT!"

* * *

Rikku opened an eye and looked out the window at the morning sunlight. She sighed. She didn't think it was possible to be any more pleased with her life as she was at the moment. Despite the fact that she was pissed with the Abes, and particularly Tidus, she had still managed to have a wonderful night. She turned over and reached for Gippal. He wasn't in bed. She sat up. He was out on the balcony, watching the sun rise. He was shirtless, dressed only in his tuxedo pants.

She got up slowly from the bed, using the sheet for cover. She slid the glass door open and stepped onto the balcony. Gippal was leaning on the railing, smoking a cigarette, seeming deep in thought.

"Hi. What are you doing up so early?" Rikku asked, squinting.

He gave her a brief smile. "I just had some stuff on my mind, you know."

"Well, I haven't heard from Yuna yet. I don't know if this is good or bad."

"She can take care of herself, Rik."

"I know. But, she's family. That's why I'm protective of her."

He nodded without replying.

"Last night was wonderful. I can't believe we had our prom. Now, it's off to college," she said, brightly.

He didn't answer.

She thought that now was a time to bring up something she had discovered while she was living with him.

"Gippal, I saw your college applications under your bed. How come you didn't fill them out?"

"Because I'm not going to college, Rik."

"What?" she demanded. What was the matter with him? What did he mean he wasn't going to Zanarkand University?

"I'm going on the road. Joey has the band booked for a year," he explained. Joey was his band's manager and Rikku thought the guy was just using Gippal to amuse himself.

"On the road? For a year? What are you talking about?" she shrieked.

He turned to face her. "I'm saying that I'm not going to Zanarkand U. I'm going to be on the road with the band. This is an opportunity for us to make it, Rik. I'm going to take it."

"Gippal, I can't believe you're throwing away your college education for this…this pipe dream of yours! You can't sing! And Joey's just trying to exploit you!"

"Damn it, Rik. That's enough! I'm sick of you claiming that. Well, you know what? You're the only person besides your family that's told me that. And Joey is in the music industry. He knows talent when he sees it! Why can't you just support me for once?" he angrily demanded.

"How can I support this? What about us? What's supposed to happen to us?" she yelled.

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

"And you don't care! You just care about that stupid band!"

"It's not stupid! What's stupid is throwing away a huge opportunity I have for a stupid girl!" he screamed before he realized it.

Rikku didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe he said that. She turned to go back inside to get dressed to get as far away from him as possible.

He followed her quickly. "I didn't mean it, Rik. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he said, turning her around to face him. He used his thumb to wipe the stray tear away from her cheek. This was killing him. He didn't want to have to choose between his music and his girl. He didn't have a choice. It was going to be one or the other.

"Rik, stop crying. You know I hate seeing you cry," he pleaded.

She wiped her eyes. "When are you leaving?" she asked.

"The day after graduation."

"Well, we can make it work, right? I mean, we can call, and…"

"No, Rik. I don't want you to waste a year waiting for me. I don't want you to put your life on hold. You're going to college this fall. I want you to have a good time, whatever that means. If you find someone else, then I want you to be with him," he said, disguising his jealousy. He knew a pretty girl like Rikku wasn't going to be single for long. And if this thing went bad…he didn't know if he could face her again.

"You're breaking up with me?" she asked with horror. She had felt horrible for Yuna most of the night, not realizing her own heart was going to go through the shredder in the morning.

"I have to. You deserve to live your life. Don't wait for me."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly. She knew she would never forget her senior year and she would never forget Gippal.

"My Dad's going to kill you," she said softly.

He chuckled. "I know."

* * *

Paine sipped her coffee as she watched the sunrise. She couldn't believe she was in a hotel room with Baralai. She had changed a bit. But, only a bit. Granny would be disappointed that she was nowhere near to considering dating Baralai on a permanent basis. He wasn't her type and she didn't believe in love, anyway. It was a joke. Just an emotion that a lot of poor suckers allowed themselves to believe. She wasn't one of them. She glanced down at Baralai, who still sleeping. What a jerk. Sure, he was easy on the eyes, but she knew what he was underneath it all. She decided to go take a shower and get dressed.

She thought about the prom while she showered. What was the purpose of the prom, anyway? It was just an excuse to get laid. No other reason. She wondered if she should attend college. She had been accepted at Zanarkand U, but she was doing it mostly to please Folene. She thought that she should stay on at the farm and help out. Her grandmother couldn't do it all herself and they couldn't afford to hire help.

Maybe she could get a job and help Folene with some of the upkeep that way. Or at least pay someone to help out at the farm while she was at school. Sometimes she wished Folene would just sell it. It was too much work for the both of them. But, the farm had been in her family forever. Folene even made her promise to keep it after her death. Something to pass down to her children. Paine grimaced. Kids. She didn't have the patience or enough alcohol to deal with kids.

Baralai was the sort of jerk that would want kids. He was spoiled himself, so he would want to spoil his kids as well. _Just what I need. A house filled with spoiled motherfuckers._

The hot water felt very inviting on her skin. She took her time. She was certain that Baralai wouldn't be waking up any time soon. He had been very drunk last night. He kept moaning about Tidus, and how he was trying to ruin his life. The blitz season would begin again next month. She knew that she would be long forgotten from his mind as he regained the admiration of all his fans.

She stepped out of the shower and got dressed. As soon as she walked into the room, Baralai started screaming at her.

"Why the hell did you tie me up? Untie me now!" he demanded, pulling on the cords that held his wrists and ankles.

"Why the hell did you place a bet on Yuna's virginity? You're shit, Baralai."

"Fuck that. Untie me now, bitch, or you'll be sorry."

"I'm already sorry," she assured him, picking up her things and heading for the door. She blew him a kiss and walked out.

"PAINE!"

* * *

"What a great night," smiled Yuna.

"What a great morning," Tidus corrected. They were still in bed after a round of vigorous morning activities. She stared at him, enjoying the way the morning sunlight made his eyes appear bluer. She thrilled in the idea that he belonged to her.

"Too bad we can't stay here all day," she murmured.

He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "We don't have to stay here. We're together now."

"Yeah. It's kind of weird. The prom's over. School's almost over. What are you planning on doing with your summer?" she asked, sitting up.

He shrugged. "Nothing much. I'll be working full time at The Tornado."

"My father wants to take me to for a week. He wants to go skiing."

"Should your father be on a pair of skis?" he asked seriously.

"He'll be fine. We go every year. But then, he wasn't…."

"Yuna, maybe you should talk to him about getting some help," he said, throwing the covers back and standing up.

"I have. He's stubborn. He doesn't think it's something serious."

"You have to do something. You'll just spend all of your time at college worrying about him."

"Yeah. I'm not sure I'm going to stay in the dorms."

"That's too bad. Isn't college supposed to be about freedom? From your parents?"

"Yeah. Well, we'll see."

"I'm going to head into the shower. You may join me if you can keep your hands off my body."

She laughed and watched him head into the shower. She gathered her things together. She looked at her phone. She should really check her messages. She giggled, thinking of an angry Braska.

Tidus got in the shower and turned it on full blast. He didn't think it was humanly possible to be any happier than he was at this moment in his life. He never imagined being in love was like this. He used to think girls only purpose was to satisfy him and move on with their lives. He knew that Darcy thought she was in love with him, but…he never felt like this about her. If he had, things would have been different. Jecht had tried to explain love to him on more than one occasion, giving up after accusing Tidus of being high and incapable of comprehending what he was saying.

Now, with a clear mind, he knew what his father was trying to say. Perhaps this was why Jecht had known about his love for Yuna before he did.

"Yuna, I'm almost done. Where are you?" he called out. No answer. He could hear her speaking, possibly to her father. Tidus instantly knew that he would have to avoid Braska for at least a week.

He turned the shower off and got out. He dried himself quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist. He opened the door.

"Hey. I heard you talking. Were you talking to your father?" he asked. He felt uneasy all of a sudden. Yuna was wearing her dress, rushing to put her shoes on.

"What are you doing?" he asked. He could see that she had been crying. He felt confused. Had there been an accident?

"Yuna, what's wrong?" he asked.

She paused, turning slowly to face him. He was shocked by the anger in her eyes. She looked furious.

"Did you make a bet on me?" she asked.

"What?"

She picked up the small lamp on the night table and tossed it at his head. He moved.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"YOU MADE A BET ON ME! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?" she screamed wildly.

Tidus was bewildered. He had no idea what the hell she was talking about. She seemed hysterical. He just knew that he wanted to make things right, no matter what.

"Yuna, please calm down and talk to me. What bet?"

"TO SLEEP WITH ME! I TRUSTED YOU! I HATE YOU!" she screamed in between sobs. She ran toward the door of the room. Tidus quickly caught her.

"Wait, Yuna, what are you talking about?" he demanded.

She fought him, beating at his chest, trying to claw his eyes out. He was trying to figure out what he had done to cause her to react in such a way.

"Yuna, what bet?" he asked again.

"WITH THE ABES! ALL OF YOU WERE IN ON IT!"

"No, Yuna, wait…" she brought her knee up hard. He released her, falling onto the carpet. She slammed the door. While he lay there, groaning in pain, he tried to calmly think about the things she was screaming. She thought that he had made some kind of bet. He couldn't lose Yuna. When he was calm enough to get up and get dressed, he tried to call her. Of course, she wasn't answering. How had she left the hotel? She had ridden with him. Maybe she was still in the lobby. He got his things together and hurried down to the lobby. He didn't see her anywhere. He checked out, and ran outside. She was gone. He got into his car and drove around looking for her. He couldn't find her. He gave up, deciding to go home and try to figure this out.

He pulled into his garage slowly. He had hurt her, this much he knew for certain. Maybe Wakka would know what she was talking about. He tried calling. No answer. Damn. He would try Datto later on. He didn't want to bother him right now. Someone should finish enjoying their morning.

He dragged his feet slowly to the kitchen door. He didn't know how his day could get any worse. He closed the door slowly and made his way to the stairs.

"Hi, sweetie. Did you enjoy your prom?" Zalora asked from the living room doorway. He didn't answer. He kept dragging his feet up the stairs.

_He must be exhausted, _she thought, and returned to the room.

The walk down the hall seemed to take Tidus forever. He finally made it to his room. He stood there for the longest time, wondering how he had managed to screw things up. Jecht had been right. His phone beeped in his pocket, indicating a message. Yuna!

He pressed the button to listen.

_Hi, Ti. It's me. Darcy. I know that you don't want to talk to be, but we have to talk. It's important. And no, it's not about us getting back together. Though, I wish you would consider. I've got something to tell you. And I should probably quit stalling and just say it. Here it is. I'm pregnant. _

The phone fell from his hand. He thought he was going to have a brain seizure. He wanted to die. Right now. Without realizing it, he was at his dresser, reaching behind his socks. He pulled out the vial of Bio that he kept hidden there for when he felt like his life was over. This was one of those times. He'd lost Yuna. And now he was about to be tied to a girl he didn't even like. He took the top off the vial and brought it to his lips slowly.

**The End.**

**Thank you to all who have read this story. And thanks to all reviewers. I decided to end this story like this in case I wanted to write a sequel. This story was a lot of fun for me to write. It began as just an idea for a story and kept growing. Anyway…until next time. **


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